MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Arch Dis Child. 2021 Jul 19;106(8):791-797. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2020-320372.
There has been widespread concern that so-called lockdown measures, including social distancing and school closures, could negatively impact children's mental health. However, there has been little direct evidence of any association due to the paucity of longitudinal studies reporting mental health before and during the lockdown. This present study provides the first longitudinal examination of changes in childhood mental health, a key component of an urgently needed evidence base that can inform policy and practice surrounding the continuing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mental health assessments on 168 children (aged 7.6-11.6 years) were taken before and during the UK lockdown (April-June 2020). Assessments included self-reports, caregiver reports, and teacher reports. Mean mental health scores before and during the UK lockdown were compared using mixed linear models.
A significant increase in depression symptoms during the UK lockdown was observed, as measured by the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) short form. CIs suggest a medium-to-large effect size. There were no significant changes in the RCADS anxiety subscale and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire emotional problems subscale.
During the UK lockdown, children's depression symptoms have increased substantially, relative to before lockdown. The scale of this effect has direct relevance for the continuation of different elements of lockdown policy, such as complete or partial school closures. This early evidence for the direct impact of lockdown must now be combined with larger scale epidemiological studies that establish which children are most at risk and tracks their future recovery.
人们普遍担心，包括社交距离和学校关闭在内的所谓封锁措施可能会对儿童的心理健康产生负面影响。然而，由于缺乏在封锁之前和期间报告心理健康的纵向研究，因此几乎没有直接证据表明存在任何关联。本研究首次对儿童心理健康变化进行了纵向检查，这是急需的证据基础的一个关键组成部分，可以为围绕 COVID-19 大流行的持续应对的政策和实践提供信息。
在英国封锁期间（2020 年 4 月至 6 月），对 168 名儿童（年龄在 7.6-11.6 岁之间）进行了心理健康评估。评估包括自我报告、照顾者报告和教师报告。使用混合线性模型比较英国封锁前后的心理健康平均得分。
观察到英国封锁期间抑郁症状显著增加，这是通过修订儿童焦虑和抑郁量表（RCADS）短表测量的。置信区间表明中等至大效应量。RCADS 焦虑子量表和困难与强项问卷情绪问题子量表没有显著变化。
在英国封锁期间，与封锁前相比，儿童的抑郁症状显著增加。这种影响的规模与封锁政策的不同元素的继续实施直接相关，例如完全或部分关闭学校。现在必须将这种封锁直接影响的早期证据与建立哪些儿童面临最大风险并跟踪他们未来康复的更大规模的流行病学研究相结合。
