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Assessment of anxiety in children during the COVID-19 pandemic
Carlos Lastra1, Robert Abrahams2, Gregory Anash2
1Rutgers/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Department of Pediatrics Chief Pedicatric Neurology Division, Saint Peter's University Hospital New Brunswick New Jersey USA.
Objective:
This study assessed anxiety levels in children during the COVID-19 pandemic and explored how factors related to COVID-19 may have affected the prevalence of anxiety disorders among the pediatric population.
Methods:
Childhood anxiety symptoms were assessed at various pediatric practices in Central New Jersey between July 2021 and September 2022. The sample comprised 476 children and adolescents aged 8-17 who participated in the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) questionnaire, administered at their annual well-child visits. Participants included both the child and the caregiver. The anxiety prevalence was compared with prepandemic standards published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Results:
The prevalence of anxiety for children aged 8-17 years (28.3%) was greater than prepandemic levels (7.1%; p < 0.0001). Among children aged 8-11, anxiety increased from 6.6% to 38.1% (p < 0.0001), while for children aged 11-17, anxiety increased from 10.5% to 22.2% (p < 0.0001). Previously diagnosed anxiety was a strong predictor of a high anxiety score on the questionnaire (mean = 28.95) compared with children without a history of anxiety (mean = 17.65; p < 0.001). Furthermore, a disparity was identified in the responses between the child and the caregiver questionnaires (p < 0.0001).
Conclusion:
This study shows that children's anxiety levels increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, an inconsistency was found between children self-reporting anxiety and caregivers underreporting their child's anxiety. These findings underscore the need for targeted support for those affected, especially children with a history of anxiety.
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