Poster #119 - The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emotional and behavioural problems in Indian preschool children

• In Event: Poster Session 13

Abstract

Background
There is limited longitudinal evidence on the impact of the pandemic on preschool aged children and on children living in Low and Middle Income Country (LMIC) settings. The only existing data from India is based on cross-sectional surveys and data collected pre and during the pandemic is required to establish impact. Such analysis must also take account of the naturally occurring developmental progression of symptoms when examining pandemic impact, which has not been done in any existing studies of COVID-19 impact on child mental health in any setting.
Hypotheses
We examine the impact of the pandemic impact on emotional and behavioural problems in preschool Indian children after accounting for development progression of symptoms and examine for moderation by COVID-related and sociodemographic and family factors.
Study population
Children and their mothers participating in an Indian-based population birth cohort (Bangalore Child Health and Development Study; BCHADS), the only prospective study in India to assess child mental health problems. The sample analysed here comprise families who provided data at the planned age 2.5 assessment and a follow up COVID-19 survey conducted between July-September 2020 (n=528).
Method: Mothers reported on emotional and behavioural problems on the Child Behaviour Checklist at the age 2 year assessment and in a telephonic interview during the pandemic (mean age 4 years), mothers also reported on a range of COVID-19 related experiences. Analyses used random effects repeated measures models for responses with a skewed distribution and decomposed the effects of change attributable to age and to the pandemic. Moderator analysis took account of associations with prior functioning to address the issue that a family’s general tendency to experience adverse events is related to the experience of adverse events during COVID-19.
Results: There was a small and marginally significant effect of the pandemic on increased behavioural and emotional problems (p=.035 and p=.061 respectively). However, the moderator analyses revealed that certain groups were adversely affected. Child emotional and behavioural symptoms rose higher than age-expected rates in families who rated increased negative impact of the pandemic, increased COVID related life events, increased child mobile phone use and increased time spent playing alone. Perceived COVID maternal stress was associated with increased emotional but not behavioural problems. Gender, sociodemographic deprivation, partner violence, increased TV watching and size of household did not moderate the impact. The findings highlight that whilst overall the impact on emotional and behavioural problems in preschool Indian children is minimal, certain subgroups are at risk. Children of families who experienced greater impacts during the pandemic such as food insecurity, difficulty accessing medical support and separation from family members, showed an increase in symptoms. It is possible than in the absence of such COVID related impact on parental resources, children may have benefitted from spending more time with their parents and family during lockdown. Our findings suggest that reducing the time preschool children spend using mobile phones and playing alone should be a focus in messages to reduce the negative impact of the pandemic.

Authors

• Helen Sharp, University of Liverpool

• Nicky Wright, Manchester Metropolitan University
  Presenting Author

• Laura Bozicevic, University of Liverpool

• TA Supraja, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences

• Andrew Pickles

• Jonathan Hill, University of Reading

• Prabha Chandra, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences