Implications of the Online Teaching Model Derived from the COVID-19 Lockdown Situation for Anxiety and Executive Functioning in Spanish Children and Adolescents

Rocío Lavigne-Cervan, Borja Costa-López, Rocío Juárez-Ruiz de Mier, Marta Sánchez-Muñoz de León, Marta Real-Fernández and Ignasi Navarro-Soria
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Rocío Lavigne-Cervan: Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain
Borja Costa-López: Department of Health Psychology, University of Alacant, Ctra. Sant Vicent del Raspeig, s/n, 03690 San Vicente, Spain
Rocío Juárez-Ruiz de Mier: Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain
Marta Sánchez-Muñoz de León: Neuropsipe, Child and Adolescent Neuroscience Center, 29010 Malaga, Spain
Marta Real-Fernández: Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Alacant, Ctra. Sant Vicent del Raspeig, s/n, 03690 San Vicente, Spain
Ignasi Navarro-Soria: Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Alacant, Ctra. Sant Vicent del Raspeig, s/n, 03690 San Vicente, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 19, 1-15

Abstract: Given the seriousness of the existing situation regarding the mental health of children and adolescents relating to the confinement period imposed due to COVID-19, we conducted this study to describe the effects of the confinement on state anxiety and executive functioning dimensions in a period of online educational modality. A sample of 953 children and adolescents was assessed. A sociodemographic questionnaire, the State Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC), and the Behavioral Evaluation of Executive Function (BRIEF-2) scale were applied. The analysis of the results indicates that 68.8% of children and adolescents presented medium–high levels of anxiety. Regarding sex, females showed higher levels of anxiety and worse levels of executive functioning. Although the group aged 11 to 18 years showed methodologically higher state anxiety ( p = 0.041) than the group aged 6 to 10 years, the difference was not clinically relevant (? = ?0.113). The state anxiety variable was also correlated positively and significantly to the three executive functioning dimensions explored. In conclusion, it seems evident that COVID-19 lockdowns could have psychological and emotional effects on children and adolescents.

Keywords: lockdown; COVID-19; anxiety; executive functioning; children; adolescents (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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