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Changes in Children's Behavioral Health and Family Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Emily C Hanno1, Jorge Cuartas, Luke W Miratrix

  • 1Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.

Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics : JDBP
|October 1, 2021
PubMed

Insights

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted child behavioral health and family well-being. Public health measures led to increased behavioral issues and stress for children and families.

Area of Science:

  • Child and family psychology
  • Public health impacts of pandemics
  • Behavioral health research

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health measures significantly altered daily life for children and families.
  • Understanding the immediate effects on child behavioral health and family well-being is crucial for developing supportive interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine changes in children's behavioral health and families' well-being at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • To compare child and family outcomes before and after a state-wide stay-at-home advisory.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal data from 2880 children across 3 waves were analyzed.
  • Fixed effects regression models were used to assess changes in child behaviors (externalizing, internalizing, adaptive, dysregulated) and family well-being (parental mental health, stress, relationship conflict, household chaos).

Main Results:

  • Children exhibited increased externalizing, internalizing, and dysregulated behaviors, alongside a decline in adaptive behaviors.
  • Families reported increased parental mental health issues, stress, parent-child conflict, and household chaos post-shutdown.

Conclusions:

  • The early months of the pandemic saw widespread declines in child behavioral health and family well-being.
  • Findings highlight the necessity for targeted family-focused and child-focused policies to mitigate adverse effects.
Abstract

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