Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Mar 29;21(1):603.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-10540-2.

Psychosocial health of school-aged children during the initial COVID-19 safer-at-home school mandates in Florida: a cross-sectional study

Sarah L McKune  1 , Daniel Acosta  2 , Nick Diaz  2 , Kaitlin Brittain  2 , Diana Joyce- Beaulieu  3 , Anthony T Maurelli  2   4 , Eric J Nelson  2   4   5
Affiliations

Psychosocial health of school-aged children during the initial COVID-19 safer-at-home school mandates in Florida: a cross-sectional study

Sarah L McKune et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Given the emerging literature regarding the impacts of lockdown measures on mental health, this study aims to describe the psychosocial health of school-aged children and adolescents during the COVID-19 Safer-at-Home School mandates.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in April 2020 (n = 280) among K-12 students at a research school in North Central Florida. Bivariate analysis and logistic and multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine socio-demographic and knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) predictors of indicators of anxiety-related, depressive, and obsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD)-related symptoms. Outcomes (anxiety, OCD, and depressive related symptoms) were measured by indices generated based on reported symptoms associated with each psychosocial outcome.

Results: Loss of household income was associated with increased risk for all three index-based outcomes: depressive symptoms [aOR = 3.130, 95% CI = (1.41-6.97)], anxiety-related symptoms [aOR = 2.531, 95%CI = (1.154-5.551)], and OCD-related symptoms [aOR = 2.90, 95%CI = (1.32-6.36)]. Being female was associated with being at higher risk for depressive symptoms [aOR = 1.72, 95% CI = (1.02-2.93)], anxiety-related symptoms [aOR = 1.75, 95% CI = (1.04-2.97)], and OCD-related symptoms [aOR = 1.764, 95%CI = (1.027-3.028)]. Parental practices protective against COVID-19 were associated with children being at higher risk of depressive symptoms [aOR = 1.55, 95% CI = (1.04-2.31)]. Lower school level was associated with children being at higher risk of anxiety-related and OCD-related symptoms.

Conclusions: As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, schools should prioritize mental health interventions that target younger, female students, and children of families with income loss. Limiting the spread of COVID-19 through school closure may exacerbate negative psychosocial health outcomes in children, thus school administrators should move quickly to target those at greatest risk.

Keywords: COVID-19; Mental health; Pandemic; Psychosocial impacts; Vulnerable population.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

References

    1. Dong Y, Mo X, Hu Y, et al. Epidemiology of COVID-19 Among Children in China. Pediatrics. 2020;145(6). 10.1542/peds.2020-0702. - PubMed
    1. Holmes* EA, O’Connor* RC, Perry VH, et al. Multidisciplinary research priorities for the COVID-19 pandemic. Lancet Pschyciatry. 2020;7(6):547–60. - PMC - PubMed
    1. JJV B, Baicker K, Boggio PS, et al. Using social and behavioural science to support COVID-19 pandemic response. Nat Hum Behav. 2020;4. 10.1038/s41562-020-0884-z. - PubMed
    1. Rolfsnes ES, Idsoe T. School-Based Intervention Programs for PTSD Symptoms: A Review and Meta-Analysis 2007;20(3):251–262. doi:10.1002/jts.20622. - PubMed
    1. Duan L, Shao X, Wang Y, et al. An investigation of mental health status of children and adolescents in China during the outbreak of COVID-19. J Affect Disord. 2020;275(April):112–118. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.06.029. - DOI - PMC - PubMed