Children's mental health problems during the initial emergence of COVID-19

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global health pandemic The impact of COVID-19 on mental health has received widespread attention, but almost no longitudinal studies exist that examine changes in children's mental health during its initial emergence Using a regression discontinuity natural experiment via a longitudinal cohort design, the present study examines trajectories of children's mental health from December 2019 to March 2020 Participants were 231 children (female n = 106 [45 8%];average age = 5 69, SD = 2 09) in 22 early childhood education classrooms across Toronto, Canada Children's mental health was assessed via educator reports on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in gender-adjusted percentiles, with the Impairment Rating Scale serving as a secondary measure Data were analyzed with 3-level (classroom, individual, and time) Markov Chain Monte Carlo estimation (MCMC) growth curve models Of the three assessments conducted per child, many of the final assessments occurred formally after the pandemic announcement and prior to the closing of childcare centres Results suggest that male children enrolled in early childhood education showed a modest decline in mental health problems prior to the pandemic announcement by the WHO However, following the WHO announcement, male children's mental health problems worsened significantly No post-pandemic differences over time were observed for females This study provides the first longitudinal evidence in Canada of heightened risk to children's mental health during the early emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic Findings support initiatives aimed at increasing access to mental health care for children during and after the pandemic, in addition to incorporating mental health in home and school based educational services (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved) Abstract (French) Le 11 mars 2020, l'Organisation mondiale de la sante (OMS) a classe au niveau de pandemie l'epidemie de COVID-19 qui s'etendait dans le monde entier Les repercussions de la pandemie sur la sante mentale ont recu beaucoup d'attention, mais il existe tres peu d'etudes longitudinales examinant les changements dans la sante mentale des enfants depuis le debut Au moyen d'une experience naturelle de discontinuite de la regression, dans le cadre de l'etude longitudinale d'une cohorte, la presente etude examine les trajectoires de la sante mentale d'enfants de decembre 2019 a mars 2020 Les participants etaient 231 enfants (filles, n = 106 [45,8 %];age moyen = 5,69, E -T = 2,09) de 22 classes de maternelle a Toronto, au Canada La sante mentale des enfants a ete evaluee au moyen des rapports des educateurs, qui ont rempli le Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, avec les percentiles selon le genre, ainsi que la Impairment Rating Scale, comme deuxieme mesure Les donnees ont ete analysees au moyen des modeles de courbes d'evolution a 3 niveaux (classe, individu et periode) de la methode de Monte-Carlo par chaine de Markov Parmi les 3 evaluations pour chacun des enfants, nombre des dernieres ont ete realisees apres l'annonce de la pandemie et avant la fermeture des centres de la petite enfance Selon les resultats, les garcons frequentant ces centres presentaient un faible declin au chapitre des problemes de sante mentale avant l'annonce de la pandemie par l'OMS Toutefois, apres l'annonce de l'OMS, les problemes de sante mentale des garcons se sont grandement aggraves Aucune difference n'a ete observee au fil du temps chez les fillettes post-pandemie Cette etude constitue la premiere source de donnees longitudinales au Canada sur le risque accru pour la sante mentale des enfants durant les premiers temps de la pandemie de COVID-19 Les resultats appuient les initiatives visant a ameliorer l'acces aux soins de sante mentale pour les enfants durant et apres la pandemie, et a inclure la sante mentale dans les services d'education a domicile et a l'ecole (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved) Impact Statement Public Significance Statement-This study suggests that Canadian children's mental health problems, as reported by early childhood educators and leading up unto the childcare shutdown, increased during the early emergence of COVID-19, specifically for boys Findings highlight the need for school-based mental health services, including support for teachers and early childhood educators, during the pandemic Mental health services for children who have returned to school during COVID-19 remain a major priority, in addition to telehealth, home-based education, and parental supports for families who are keeping children at home (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)