Social and environmental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to review the literature, summarizing the existing evidence on the effects of the pandemic on children, adolescents and parents, with an emphasis on the psychological, emotional, and sleep quality consequences.

Source of data: Empirical studies identified in the following databases: MEDLINE, ISI Web of Knowledge/Web of Science, and preprint servers.

Synthesis of data: The findings point to a wide range of consequences for children and adolescents resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, which mainly includes an increase in depressive mood symptoms. There is also an increase in anxiety symptoms, suicidal ideation, as well as potential delays in language and motor development resulting from deprivation of social interaction and the closing of schools. These effects are more severe due to previous neuropsychiatric conditions. For parents, there is an increase in anxiety, depressive and post-traumatic symptoms, which are more accentuated in those who suffered socioeconomic damage due to the pandemic. There was an important increase in situations of violence towards children by parents and caregivers during the pandemic. Also, changes in routine and fear of the pandemic have negatively impacted sleep quality, globally.

Conclusions: It is noteworthy that most studies published to date used a cross-sectional design and applied online screening questionnaires. The few studies with a longitudinal design suggest that these changes may have been transitory and more prevalent at the beginning of the pandemic.

Keywords: Adolescence; COVID-19; Childhood; Mental health; Sleep.