Interventions to Ameliorate the Psychosocial Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children—A Systematic Review

Katharina Boldt, Michaela Coenen, Ani Movsisyan, Stephan Voss, Eva Rehfuess, Angela M. Kunzler, Klaus Lieb and Caroline Jung-Sievers
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Katharina Boldt: Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology—IBE, Chair of Public Health and Health Services Research, LMU Munich, Elisabeth-Winterhalter-Weg 6, 81377 Munich, Germany
Michaela Coenen: Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology—IBE, Chair of Public Health and Health Services Research, LMU Munich, Elisabeth-Winterhalter-Weg 6, 81377 Munich, Germany
Ani Movsisyan: Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology—IBE, Chair of Public Health and Health Services Research, LMU Munich, Elisabeth-Winterhalter-Weg 6, 81377 Munich, Germany
Stephan Voss: Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology—IBE, Chair of Public Health and Health Services Research, LMU Munich, Elisabeth-Winterhalter-Weg 6, 81377 Munich, Germany
Eva Rehfuess: Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology—IBE, Chair of Public Health and Health Services Research, LMU Munich, Elisabeth-Winterhalter-Weg 6, 81377 Munich, Germany
Angela M. Kunzler: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, 55131 Mainz, Germany
Klaus Lieb: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, 55131 Mainz, Germany
Caroline Jung-Sievers: Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology—IBE, Chair of Public Health and Health Services Research, LMU Munich, Elisabeth-Winterhalter-Weg 6, 81377 Munich, Germany

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 5, 1-29

Abstract: The aim of this study was to identify interventions targeting children and their caregivers to reduce psychosocial problems in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and comparable outbreaks. The review was performed using systematic literature searches in MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO and COVID-19-specific databases, including the CDC COVID-19 Research Database, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Database on COVID-19 Research and the Cochrane COVID-19 Study Register, ClinicalTrials.gov, the EU Clinical Trials Register and the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) up to 25th September 2020. The search yielded 6657 unique citations. After title/abstract and full text screening, 11 study protocols reporting on trials planned in China, the US, Canada, the UK, and Hungary during the COVID-19 pandemic were included. Four interventions targeted children ?10 years directly, seven system-based interventions targeted the parents and caregivers of younger children and adolescents. Outcome measures encompassed mainly anxiety and depressive symptoms, different dimensions of stress or psychosocial well-being, and quality of supportive relationships. In conclusion, this systematic review revealed a paucity of studies on psychosocial interventions for children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further research should be encouraged in light of the expected demand for child mental health management.

Keywords: COVID-19; pandemic; child; mental health; intervention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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