Changes in Coping Strategies of Parents and Girls with Central Precocious Puberty Before and After the COVID-19 Lockdown: Data from Four Italian Pediatric Endocrinology Centers

Maria E. Street, Anna-Mariia Shulhai, Dolores Rollo (), Maurizio Rossi, Maddalena Petraroli, Vittorio Ferrari, Giulia Del Medico, Patrizia Bruzzi, Beatrice Righi, Chiara Sartori, Lorenzo Iughetti and Stefano Stagi
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Maria E. Street: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43121 Parma, Italy
Anna-Mariia Shulhai: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43121 Parma, Italy
Dolores Rollo: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43121 Parma, Italy
Maurizio Rossi: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43121 Parma, Italy
Maddalena Petraroli: Unit of Paediatrics, P. Barilla Children’s Hospital, University Hospital of Parma, 43121 Parma, Italy
Vittorio Ferrari: Pediatric Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
Giulia Del Medico: Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy
Patrizia Bruzzi: Pediatric Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Mother Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy
Beatrice Righi: Unit of Paediatrics, AUSL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy
Chiara Sartori: Unit of Paediatrics, AUSL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy
Lorenzo Iughetti: Pediatric Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Mother Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy
Stefano Stagi: Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 7, 1-14

Abstract: The increased stress during the COVID-19 pandemic may have influenced the coping strategies used by children and parents who adapted to a diagnosis of central precocious puberty (CPP). This study aimed to explore whether the coping mechanisms of parents and their daughters diagnosed with CPP differed before and after the COVID-19 lockdown and if certain factors could be associated with these mechanisms. Specific questionnaires were completed by 174/524 girls with CPP enrolled at four different pediatric endocrinology centers in Italy. All girls filled in the questionnaire about the Children’s Coping Strategies (CCSs), and their parents completed the Coping Orientation to the Problems Experienced (COPE-NVI-25) questionnaire. Cronbach’s test was performed to check the reliability of answers. Despite increased stress-related coping behaviors among girls with CPP after the lockdown, parents presented more functional coping behaviors related to problem-solving strategies and seeking social support. After the lockdown, children showed stronger associations with their parents’ adaptive strategies, emphasizing the important role of parental behaviors in shaping the responses of children to stressful events. Additionally, coping strategies were found to differ by country of origin: families of non-Italian origin showed a greater reliance on transcendence, while girls from these families had lower avoidance scores, suggesting the use of alternative adaptive strategies in stressful situations.

Keywords: central precocious puberty; CPP; COVID-19; coping strategies; psychosocial stress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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