Factors Associated with Increased or Decreased Stress Level in French Children during the First COVID-19 Lockdown

Juliette Faucher, Nagham Khanafer, Nicolas Chauliac, Aziz Essadek, Perrine Galia, Elise Mamimoue, Marie-Laure Leroux, Marie-Pierre Pollet, Françoise Imler-Weber, Yves Gillet, Pierre Fourneret and Pauline Espi ()
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Juliette Faucher: Service Psychopathologie du Développement de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69500 Bron, France
Nagham Khanafer: Service d’Hygiène, Épidémiologie et Prévention, Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69003 Lyon, France
Nicolas Chauliac: Regional Center for Psychotraumatism, Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69003 Lyon, France
Aziz Essadek: Interpsy EA4432, University of Lorraine, 54000 Nancy, France
Perrine Galia: Regional Center for Psychotraumatism, Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69003 Lyon, France
Elise Mamimoue: Service Psychopathologie du Développement de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69500 Bron, France
Marie-Laure Leroux: Academy of Lyon, Ministry of National Education, 75007 Paris, France
Marie-Pierre Pollet: Academy of Lyon, Ministry of National Education, 75007 Paris, France
Françoise Imler-Weber: Academy of Lyon, Ministry of National Education, 75007 Paris, France
Yves Gillet: Department of Pediatric Emergency, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69500 Bron, France
Pierre Fourneret: Service Psychopathologie du Développement de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69500 Bron, France
Pauline Espi: Service Psychopathologie du Développement de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69500 Bron, France

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 5, 1-17

Abstract: In spring 2020, governments of many countries implemented lockdown measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Worldwide, the pandemic forced about 1.5 billion children to stay at home for several weeks and to experience homeschooling. The objective of this study was to assess the variation in stress levels and associated factors in school-aged children in France during the first COVID-19 lockdown. A cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire was designed by an interdisciplinary team involving hospital child psychiatrists and school doctors. Between 15 June and 15 July 2020, Educational Academy of Lyon (France) invited the parents of school-aged children to participate in this survey. The first part of the questionnaire concerned the children with data on lockdown conditions, socio-demographic data, daily rhythms (eating and sleeping), perceived stress variations, and feelings. The second part assessed parental perspectives on their child’s psychological state and use of the mental health care system. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with stress variation (increased or decreased). A total of 7218 questionnaires were fully completed by children from elementary school to high school with a balanced sex ratio. In summary, 29% of children reported a higher stress level during the lockdown, 34% reported a lower stress level, and 37% reported no stress variation in the usual situation prior to COVID-19. Parents were most often able to identify signs of increased stress levels in their children. The most influential factors in the variation of stress for children were academic pressure, family relationships, and fear of being infected or infecting a family member with SARS-CoV-2. Our study underlines the high impact of school attendance stressors on children in usual conditions and encourages vigilance for children whose stress levels have decreased during the lockdown but who may have increased difficulty re-exposing themselves upon deconfinement.

Keywords: COVID-19; lockdown; stress; anxiety symptoms; family relationship; academic pressure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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