Comparing the emotional impact of the UK COVID-19 lockdown in very preterm and full-term born children: a longitudinal study
IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global mental health crisis, especially for those individuals who are vulnerable to stress and anxiety due to pre-existing mental health problems. This study aimed to understand the emotional impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on children who were born ver...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-06-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frcha.2023.1193258/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832592350349623296 |
|---|---|
| author | Zeyuan Sun Zeyuan Sun Laila Hadaya Laila Hadaya Marguerite Leoni Marguerite Leoni Paola Dazzan Emily Simonoff Serena J. Counsell A. David Edwards Chiara Nosarti Chiara Nosarti Lucy Vanes |
| author_facet | Zeyuan Sun Zeyuan Sun Laila Hadaya Laila Hadaya Marguerite Leoni Marguerite Leoni Paola Dazzan Emily Simonoff Serena J. Counsell A. David Edwards Chiara Nosarti Chiara Nosarti Lucy Vanes |
| author_sort | Zeyuan Sun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global mental health crisis, especially for those individuals who are vulnerable to stress and anxiety due to pre-existing mental health problems. This study aimed to understand the emotional impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on children who were born very preterm (VPT, <32 weeks' gestation), as they are vulnerable to mental health difficulties and are at increased risk of developing psychiatric problems during childhood compared to their full-term-born counterparts.MethodsThe parents of 32 VPT children (mean age = 8.7) and 29 term-born controls (mean age = 8.8), who had previously taken part in a study of brain development and psychopathology following VPT birth, completed an online modified version of the Coronavirus Health and Impact Survey (CRISIS). The emotional impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the child and the parent, measured by the CRISIS, was studied in relation to pre-existing mental health, assessed with the parent-rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), evaluated before the CRISIS completion (mean time gap 15 months). Linear regression model comparisons were conducted to study the effects of COVID-19-related stressors on children's and parents' behavior, relationships and mental health.ResultsThere were no significant group differences in pre-existing SDQ internalizing/externalizing symptoms, child's emotions or parent's emotions during the COVID-19 lockdown. However, higher pre-existing internalizing symptoms in VPT children were associated with greater lockdown-related emotional problems and worries (simple slope = 1.95, p < 0.001), whereas this was not observed in term-born children.ConclusionOur results suggest that VPT children with pre-existing internalizing problems may be more vulnerable to the negative impact of certain societal and familial stressors, such as social restrictions during the national COVID-19 lockdown periods. Further rigorous studies are therefore needed to assess the severity of increased risks for this particularly vulnerable group in the context of potentially stressful life changes and adjustments. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5a0a80e0e5184f4882bb005e2a8e38ad |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2813-4540 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-5a0a80e0e5184f4882bb005e2a8e38ad2025-01-21T10:29:16ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry2813-45402023-06-01210.3389/frcha.2023.11932581193258Comparing the emotional impact of the UK COVID-19 lockdown in very preterm and full-term born children: a longitudinal studyZeyuan Sun0Zeyuan Sun1Laila Hadaya2Laila Hadaya3Marguerite Leoni4Marguerite Leoni5Paola Dazzan6Emily Simonoff7Serena J. Counsell8A. David Edwards9Chiara Nosarti10Chiara Nosarti11Lucy Vanes12Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United KingdomCentre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United KingdomCentre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United KingdomCentre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United KingdomCentre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, United KingdomCentre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United KingdomCentre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United KingdomIntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global mental health crisis, especially for those individuals who are vulnerable to stress and anxiety due to pre-existing mental health problems. This study aimed to understand the emotional impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on children who were born very preterm (VPT, <32 weeks' gestation), as they are vulnerable to mental health difficulties and are at increased risk of developing psychiatric problems during childhood compared to their full-term-born counterparts.MethodsThe parents of 32 VPT children (mean age = 8.7) and 29 term-born controls (mean age = 8.8), who had previously taken part in a study of brain development and psychopathology following VPT birth, completed an online modified version of the Coronavirus Health and Impact Survey (CRISIS). The emotional impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the child and the parent, measured by the CRISIS, was studied in relation to pre-existing mental health, assessed with the parent-rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), evaluated before the CRISIS completion (mean time gap 15 months). Linear regression model comparisons were conducted to study the effects of COVID-19-related stressors on children's and parents' behavior, relationships and mental health.ResultsThere were no significant group differences in pre-existing SDQ internalizing/externalizing symptoms, child's emotions or parent's emotions during the COVID-19 lockdown. However, higher pre-existing internalizing symptoms in VPT children were associated with greater lockdown-related emotional problems and worries (simple slope = 1.95, p < 0.001), whereas this was not observed in term-born children.ConclusionOur results suggest that VPT children with pre-existing internalizing problems may be more vulnerable to the negative impact of certain societal and familial stressors, such as social restrictions during the national COVID-19 lockdown periods. Further rigorous studies are therefore needed to assess the severity of increased risks for this particularly vulnerable group in the context of potentially stressful life changes and adjustments.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frcha.2023.1193258/fullCOVID-19child mental healthvery preterminternalizing symptomslockdowncrisis |
| spellingShingle | Zeyuan Sun Zeyuan Sun Laila Hadaya Laila Hadaya Marguerite Leoni Marguerite Leoni Paola Dazzan Emily Simonoff Serena J. Counsell A. David Edwards Chiara Nosarti Chiara Nosarti Lucy Vanes Comparing the emotional impact of the UK COVID-19 lockdown in very preterm and full-term born children: a longitudinal study Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry COVID-19 child mental health very preterm internalizing symptoms lockdown crisis |
| title | Comparing the emotional impact of the UK COVID-19 lockdown in very preterm and full-term born children: a longitudinal study |
| title_full | Comparing the emotional impact of the UK COVID-19 lockdown in very preterm and full-term born children: a longitudinal study |
| title_fullStr | Comparing the emotional impact of the UK COVID-19 lockdown in very preterm and full-term born children: a longitudinal study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparing the emotional impact of the UK COVID-19 lockdown in very preterm and full-term born children: a longitudinal study |
| title_short | Comparing the emotional impact of the UK COVID-19 lockdown in very preterm and full-term born children: a longitudinal study |
| title_sort | comparing the emotional impact of the uk covid 19 lockdown in very preterm and full term born children a longitudinal study |
| topic | COVID-19 child mental health very preterm internalizing symptoms lockdown crisis |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frcha.2023.1193258/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zeyuansun comparingtheemotionalimpactoftheukcovid19lockdowninverypretermandfulltermbornchildrenalongitudinalstudy AT zeyuansun comparingtheemotionalimpactoftheukcovid19lockdowninverypretermandfulltermbornchildrenalongitudinalstudy AT lailahadaya comparingtheemotionalimpactoftheukcovid19lockdowninverypretermandfulltermbornchildrenalongitudinalstudy AT lailahadaya comparingtheemotionalimpactoftheukcovid19lockdowninverypretermandfulltermbornchildrenalongitudinalstudy AT margueriteleoni comparingtheemotionalimpactoftheukcovid19lockdowninverypretermandfulltermbornchildrenalongitudinalstudy AT margueriteleoni comparingtheemotionalimpactoftheukcovid19lockdowninverypretermandfulltermbornchildrenalongitudinalstudy AT paoladazzan comparingtheemotionalimpactoftheukcovid19lockdowninverypretermandfulltermbornchildrenalongitudinalstudy AT emilysimonoff comparingtheemotionalimpactoftheukcovid19lockdowninverypretermandfulltermbornchildrenalongitudinalstudy AT serenajcounsell comparingtheemotionalimpactoftheukcovid19lockdowninverypretermandfulltermbornchildrenalongitudinalstudy AT adavidedwards comparingtheemotionalimpactoftheukcovid19lockdowninverypretermandfulltermbornchildrenalongitudinalstudy AT chiaranosarti comparingtheemotionalimpactoftheukcovid19lockdowninverypretermandfulltermbornchildrenalongitudinalstudy AT chiaranosarti comparingtheemotionalimpactoftheukcovid19lockdowninverypretermandfulltermbornchildrenalongitudinalstudy AT lucyvanes comparingtheemotionalimpactoftheukcovid19lockdowninverypretermandfulltermbornchildrenalongitudinalstudy |