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Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Children's Psychosocial Well-Being: A Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia

Abeer M AlHarbi1, Abdulrahman A Alghamdi2, Jawad M Alabbasi2

  • 1Pediatric Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City Riyadh, Riyadh, SAU.

Cureus
|June 7, 2023
PubMed

Insights

The COVID-19 lockdown negatively impacted children

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Child Psychology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns presented unprecedented challenges globally.
  • Limited research has specifically addressed the psychosocial impact of these measures on children in Arab countries.
  • Understanding these effects is crucial given the extended quarantine periods affecting child development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the psychosocial well-being of children aged 1-18 years.
  • To assess changes in behavior, sleep patterns, activity levels, and social skills among children in Saudi Arabia during the pandemic.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study conducted in Saudi Arabia involving 387 children aged 1-18 years.
  • Data collected via online questionnaires completed by legal guardians, assessing child behavior, sleep, activity, and social skills.
  • Statistical analysis performed using SPSS version 20.0 to evaluate the significance of observed changes (p<0.05).

Main Results:

  • The majority of participants were young children (50.6% aged 1-6 years) and males (60.5%).
  • Significant negative impacts were observed across children's behavior, sleep patterns, activity levels, and social skills (p<0.05).
  • No significant effect was found on appetite or the consumption of non-nutritional junk food (p>0.05).

Conclusions:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown had a significant detrimental effect on the psychosocial well-being of children in Saudi Arabia.
  • Interventions are recommended to bolster children's resilience and coping mechanisms during challenging times.
  • Further research is needed to explore long-term effects and develop targeted support strategies.

Keywords:
childrencovid 19 impact of lockdowncovid-19lifestylepandemicquarantinesaudi arabia

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