Behavioral and Psychiatric Health Problems in Iranian Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background the study of behavioral and psychiatric health problems in space and time, can help to improve health services for adolescents and children by increasing understanding of causes, development, and course of psychiatric disorders. Methods This cross-sectional study has been carried out through cluster sampling design on 322 normal students aged 12–18 attending in public high and elementary school in Esfahan, Iran. They completed study instrument that included the 110-item The Child Symptom Inventory-4 (CSI-4) and those inquiring the students’ demographic information. Results Findings showed that 58% students met criteria for all psychiatric symptoms except of the autism and Asperger’s disorders, and 39.5% suffered from more than one comorbid categories of psychiatric disorders. The most common psychiatric disorders in boys and girls were ADHD (18.5%), ODD (15%), ADHD-C (13.5%), GAD (12.8%), ADHD: HI (11.5), and MDD (10.8%). Conclusion Most of students suffered from more than one co-morbid category of psychiatric disorders. It is better to develop effective strategies and interventions, train students about self-protection, and establish a psychological crisis intervention team to minimize the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.