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Identifying vulnerable children's stress levels and coping measures during COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: a mixed method
Hajime Takeuchi1,2, Sharanya Napier-Raman3, Osamagbe Asemota4
1School of Social Welfare, Bukkyo University, Kyoto, Japan takechanespid@gmail.com.
Insights
Vulnerable children in Japan experienced significant stress during the COVID-19 pandemic due to school closures and social isolation. Family support was crucial, but pandemic measures and missing school exacerbated their psychological and physical stress.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Health
- Public Health
- Psychology
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted vulnerable children and youth globally.
- In Japan, nationwide school closures were implemented as a public health measure, despite lower infection risk in children.
- These closures led to increased psychological and physical stress among Japanese children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the experiences of vulnerable children in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To focus on the subset of the population experiencing social disadvantage.
- To identify stressors and protective factors affecting this group.
Main Methods:
- An adapted 'Perceived Stress Scale for Children' with free-text responses was administered online.
- Participants were children attending non-profit organizations supporting socially disadvantaged individuals and families.
- Quantitative data underwent simple descriptive analysis, while qualitative data were analyzed using thematic and content analysis.
Main Results:
- Thirty-six children (mean age 11.3 years, 61% male) participated.
- The mean overall stress score was 14.8 (range 0-39), with no significant differences by age or gender.
- Key stressors included schooling, COVID-19 fears, family tension, and pandemic measures; family support, food, friendship, and recreation were identified as comforts.
Conclusions:
- Children in this cohort reported high mean stress levels.
- They reacted acutely to COVID-19 and public health measures, with missing school and social contact worsening stress.
- Future public health responses must consider vulnerable children's concerns, prioritizing equity and child rights.
Background:
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected vulnerable children and youth. In Japan, despite evidence that the paediatric age group holds a lower risk of infection than the older population, there was a nationwide closure of schools as an early public health measure. Acknowledging that school closures brought heightened psychological and physical stress among Japanese children, we aimed to explore vulnerable children's experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, focusing on socially disadvantaged subset of the population.
Methods:
We used an adapted version of the 'Perceived Stress Scale for Children', with additional free-text space, delivered online to children attending three non-profit organisations which provide support for this group of vulnerable persons and families experiencing social disadvantage. Simple descriptive analysis was undertaken on the quantitative data; we used thematic and content analysis for the qualitative data.
Results:
Thirty-six children participated in the online survey, mean age was 11.3 years, majority (61%) were male. The mean overall stress score (score distribution width: 0-39) was 14.8, with no difference in score distribution by age or gender. Free-text responses obtained revealed a range of stressors and protective factors. Schooling, COVID-19 fears, family tension and pandemic measures were sources of stress; family-in particular, the support of the mother-food, friendship and recreation were sources of comfort. While most responses indicated positive coping mechanisms, some displayed maladaptive behaviours.
Conclusions:
The children in this cohort had high mean stress scores overall. Responses indicated that they were acutely reactive to COVID-19 as well as pandemic public health measures, and that missing schooling and contact with friends exacerbated their stress. Family was a source of strength as well as stress. A tailored public health response to COVID-19 needs to take into account the concerns voiced by vulnerable child populations be based on equity and child rights.
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