COVID-19 limitation strategies have led to widespread school closures around the world. The present study reports children’s mental health and associated factors during the COVID-19 school closure in France in the spring of 2020. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the SAPRIS project set up during the COVID-19 pandemic in France. Using multinomial logistic regression models, we estimated associations between children’s mental health, children’s health behaviors, schooling, and socioeconomic characteristics of the children’s families. The sample consisted of 5702 children aged 8–9 years, including 50.2% girls. In multivariate logistic regression models, children’s sleeping difficulties were associated with children’s abnormal symptoms of both hyperactivity-inattention (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) 2.05; 95% Confidence Interval 1.70–2.47) and emotional symptoms (aOR 5.34; 95% CI 4.16–6.86). Factors specifically associated with abnormal hyperactivity/inattention were: male sex (aOR 2.29; 95% CI 1.90–2.76), access to specialized care prior to the pandemic and its suspension during school closure (aOR 1.51; 95% CI 1.21–1.88), abnormal emotional symptoms (aOR 4.06; 95% CI 3.11–5.29), being unschooled or schooled with assistance before lockdown (aOR 2.13; 95% CI 1.43–3.17), and tutoring with difficulties or absence of a tutor (aOR 3.25; 95% CI 2.64–3.99; aOR 2.47; 95% CI 1.48–4.11, respectively). Factors associated with children’s emotional symptoms were the following: being born pre-term (aOR 1.34; 95% CI 1.03–1.73), COVID-19 cases among household members (aOR 1.72; 95% CI 1.08–2.73), abnormal symptoms of hyperactivity/inattention (aOR 4.18; 95% CI 3.27–5.34) and modest income (aOR 1.45; 95% CI 1.07–1.96; aOR 1.36; 95% CI 1.01–1.84). Multiple characteristics were associated with elevated levels of symptoms of hyperactivity-inattention and emotional symptoms in children during the period of school closure due to COVID-19. Further studies are needed to help policymakers to balance the pros and cons of closing schools, taking into consideration the educational and psychological consequences for children.

Emerging research suggests that the prevalence of child and adolescent mental health problems has increased considerably during the COVID-19 crisis. However, there have been few longitudinal studies on children’s mental health issues according to their social determinants in this context, especially in Europe. Our aim was to investigate the association between family socioeconomic status (SES) and children' mental health during the period of school closure due to COVID-19. Longitudinal data came from 4575 children aged 8–9 years old in 2020 and participating in the ELFE population-based birth cohort that focuses on children’s health, development and socialization. Parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) when children were (a) 5 years of age and (b) 9 years of age, which corresponded to the period of school closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic in France. We retrieved data from the ELFE cohort collected on children from birth to age 5 years (birth, 1 year, 2 years, 3,5 years and 5 years). Socioeconomic status (SES) was measured based on information obtained when the child was 5 years old. Data were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression models. Children’s elevated levels of symptoms of Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during the period of school closure were significantly associated with prior low family SES (aOR 1.26, 95% CI 1.08–1.48). Children’s elevated symptoms of hyperactivity/inattention and of emotional symptoms were associated with decline in income during the COVID crisis (respectively, aOR 1.38, 95% CI 1.16–1.63 and aOR 1.23, 95% CI 1.01–1.51). Moreover, when testing interactions, a low prior SES was significantly associated with a higher risk of emotional symptoms aOR 1.54 (1.07–2.21), only for children whose families experienced a decline in income, while gender, parental separation and prior mental health difficulties were not associated. This study underlines the impact of the financial crisis related to the COVID-19 epidemic on children’s mental health. Both pre-existing family SES before lockdown and more proximal financial difficulties during the COVID crisis were negatively associated with children’s psychological difficulties during the period of school closure. The pandemic appears to exacerbate mental health problems in deprived children whose families suffer from financial difficulties. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00787-022-02010-w.

Background Preterm children are at higher risk of developing mental health problems than full-term children. Deterioration of children’s mental health was observed during COVID-19 pandemic restrictive measures. Our study compared emotional and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms during school closure between preterm and full-term children. Methods Data from two French birth cohorts—ELFE and EPIPAGE-2—were used. In 2011, infants born ≥22 weeks’ gestation were recruited. Parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire when the children were 9 years old and experiencing school closure. Multivariate multinomial logistic regression models were used. Results Subjects included 4164 full-term and 1119 preterm children. In univariate analyses, compared to full-term children: extremely and very preterm children more frequently had abnormal and borderline ADHD scores (odds ratio [OR] 1.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.50–2.30, OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.08–1.85, respectively) and abnormal emotional scores (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.43–2.40); moderate to late preterm children more often had abnormal ADHD scores (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.01–1.78). The associations did not remain when previous symptoms at 5 years old were considered. Conclusions School closure during lockdown did not appear to increase the risk of mental health problems in preterm compared to full-term children. Impact statement Preterm children are at higher risk of developing mental health problems than full-term children. Deterioration in children’s mental health was observed during COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. However, whether preterm children were a particularly vulnerable subgroup during school closure is unclear. In univariate analyses, extremely and very preterm children more often had abnormal and borderline ADHD symptoms and abnormal emotional symptom scores than full-term children. The associations did not remain significantly associated when previous symptoms were considered. Preterm compared to full-term children more often suffer from ADHD and emotional symptoms, but school closure during lockdown did not appear to increase this risk.