Modifiable and Non-Modifiable Risk Factors of Child Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Area of Science:

• Child psychology
• Public health
• Pandemic impact

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to child mental health.
• Identifying risk factors is crucial for developing targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors associated with child mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To understand the impact of pandemic-related stressors on children's psychological well-being.

Main Methods:

• A survey of 1,115 Chicago caregivers reporting on 1,895 children (ages 0-17) was conducted between October-November 2021.
• Logistic regression and Rao-Scott chi-squared tests analyzed associations between risk factors and child mental health outcomes.
• Data were collected in English and Spanish, focusing on pandemic experiences and child mental health status.

Main Results:

• Worse family functioning (OR=3.53), seeking extra support (OR=5.99), and missed milestones (OR=6.32) were significantly linked to worsening child mental health.
• Differences in worsening mental health were observed across child race/ethnicity and survey language (p<0.05).
• Asian/other-race children showed a higher proportion of worsening mental health (20%) compared to other groups (9-10%).

Conclusions:

• Deteriorating family functioning and missed developmental milestones are significant contributors to poor child mental health during pandemics.
• Caregiver-initiated support seeking may reflect early identification of children's mental health decline.
• Elevated mental health issues in Asian/other-race children may be linked to racism exposure, necessitating culturally sensitive interventions.