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Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effects of Self-distancing in Young Children
Published on: March 1, 2019
Cognitive and Emotional Well-Being of Preschool Children Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Katherine E Finegold1, Julia A Knight2,3, Rayjean J Hung2,3
1Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Insights
COVID-19 pandemic exposure was linked to both improved problem-solving skills and increased personal-social difficulties in 24-month-olds. Older children (54 months) showed enhanced cognitive abilities, but socioemotional development remained unchanged.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- The impact of COVID-19 social disruption on early childhood development remains largely unexamined.
- Understanding these effects is crucial for identifying developmental risks and informing interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the associations between exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic and neurocognitive and socioemotional development in young children at 24 and 54 months of age.
- To analyze developmental outcomes in relation to pandemic exposure status.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study utilizing data from the Ontario Birth Study (February 2018–June 2022).
- Participants aged 24 and 54 months were assessed using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3), Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (MCHAT-R), and the National Institutes of Health Toolbox.
- Pandemic exposure was defined as assessment after March 11, 2020.
Main Results:
- At 24 months, pandemic-exposed children had a reduced risk of problem-solving difficulties but a greater risk for personal-social difficulties compared to non-exposed children.
- At 54 months, pandemic-exposed children demonstrated higher receptive vocabulary, visual memory, and overall cognitive performance.
- No significant differences in socioemotional development were observed at 54 months.
Conclusions:
- The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with mixed developmental outcomes in preschool children, including enhanced cognitive skills and some socioemotional challenges.
- Findings highlight the complex effects of pandemic-related social disruption on early development within a socioeconomically advantaged sample.
Importance:
The association between COVID-19 social disruption and young children's development is largely unknown.
Objective:
To examine associations of pandemic exposure with neurocognitive and socioemotional development at 24 and 54 months of age.
Design, Setting, And Participants:
This cross-sectional study evaluated associations between pandemic exposure vs nonexposure and developmental outcomes with covariate adjustment using data from the Ontario Birth Study collected between February 2018 and June 2022. Eligible participants were children aged 24 and 54 months. Data were analyzed from June to November 2022.
Exposure:
COVID-19 pandemic exposure defined as assessment after March 11, 2020.
Main Outcome And Measures:
Neurodevelopmental assessment using the ASQ-3 (Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition) and MCHAT-R (Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised) at 24 months of age, and neurocognitive and socioemotional assessment using the National Institutes of Health Toolbox at 54 months of age.
Results:
A total of 718 children at age 24 months (mean [SD] age, 25.6 [1.7] months; 342 female [47.6%]; 461 White [64.2%]) and 703 at age 54 months (mean [SD] age, 55.4 [2.6] months; 331 female [47.1%]; 487 White [69.3%]) were included. At 24 months of age, 460 participants (232 female [50.4%]) were assessed during the pandemic (March 17, 2020, to May 17, 2022) and 258 (110 female [42.6%]) were assessed prepandemic (April 17, 2018, to March 10, 2020). At 54 months of age, 286 participants (129 female [45.1%]) were assessed from March 14, 2020, to June 6, 2022, and 417 (202 female [48.4%]) were assessed from February 8, 2018, to March 10, 2020. At 24 months of age, pandemic-exposed children had reduced risk of problem-solving difficulties using cutoff scores (odds ratio [OR], 0.33; 95% CI, 0.18-0.62; P = .005) and higher problem-solving (B, 3.93; 95% CI, 2.48 to 5.38; P < .001) compared with nonexposed children. In contrast, pandemic-exposed children had greater risk for personal-social difficulties using cutoff scores (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.09-2.56; P = .02) and continuous scores (B, -1.70; 95% CI, -3.21 to -0.20; P = .02) compared with nonexposed children. At 54 months of age, pandemic-exposed children had higher receptive vocabulary (B, 3.16; 95% CI, 0.13 to 6.19; P = .04), visual memory (B, 5.95; 95% CI, 1.11 to 10.79; P = .02), and overall cognitive performance (B, 3.89; 95% CI, 0.73 to 7.04; P = .02) compared with nonexposed children, with no differences in socioemotional development.
Conclusions And Relevance:
This cross-sectional study found both positive and negative associations between pandemic exposure and preschool children's cognitive and emotional well-being within a relatively socioeconomically advantaged sample.
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