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. 2023 Jun 22;13(6):e068761.
doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-068761.

Psychosocial dysfunction of children and adolescents during the COVID-19 lockdown in Ecuador: a cross-sectional study

Carlos V Erazo  1 , Amelia C Cifuentes  1 , Adriana M Navas  1 , Freddy G Carrión  1 , Jose D Caicedo-Gallardo  2 , Mateo Andrade  1 , Ana L Moncayo  3
Affiliations

Psychosocial dysfunction of children and adolescents during the COVID-19 lockdown in Ecuador: a cross-sectional study

Carlos V Erazo et al. BMJ Open. .

Abstract

Objective: Although the risk of morbidity and mortality of children and adolescents was lower during the COVID-19 pandemic, it appears that their mental health was strongly impacted. The goal of this study is to document psychological dysfunction among children and adolescents who underwent confinement due to COVID-19 in Ecuador.

Design: A cross-sectional, internet-based questionnaire.

Setting: Ecuador.

Participants: A total of 1077 caregivers of children and adolescents (4-16 years old).

Outcome measures: Caregivers responded to Pediatric Symptom Checklist-35 to assess psychosocial dysfunction.

Results: The prevalence of psychosocial dysfunction was 20.8%, with internalising symptoms being the most common (30.7%). The prevalence of psychosocial dysfunction was higher in children who had a poor family relationship during confinement (prevalence ratio (PR) 2.23; 95% CI 1.22 to 4.07), children who never helped with housework (PR 2.63; 95% CI 1.13 to 6.14) and those whose caregivers were worried about children's need for emotional therapy (PR 2.86; 95% CI 1.97 to 4.15). Never playing video games (PR 0.34; 95% CI 0.17 to 0.69) or playing video games infrequently (PR 0.39; 95% CI 0.20 to 0.79) was a protective factor for the psychosocial problems of children and adolescents.

Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that children and adolescents have experienced a deterioration of mental health due to the pandemic. Family factors played an important role in the mental health of children during the lockdown. When a public crisis occurs, supportive mental health policies should be developed and implemented to promote children's psychological welfare.

Keywords: COVID-19; Community child health; EPIDEMIOLOGY; MENTAL HEALTH.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Prevalence of psychosocial dysfunction by age groups during the COVID-19 lockdown in Ecuador, 2020.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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