Child, adolescent, and parent mental health in general population during a year of COVID-19 pandemic in belgium: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background This study aims to evaluate the mental health status of children, adolescents and their parents during the first year of COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium. Method Analysis compared results before and during the second national lockdown, which started on November 2nd 2020. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between May 2020 and April 2021. Results Two hundred and eighteen adults and 273 children fully completed the survey. Almost one in five children (17.9%) presented moderate-to-severe scores of depression. Adolescents presented a higher level of depression than children (p = 0.007). The rate of moderate-to-severe depression scores (10.8% to 21%, p = 0.007) and internalized symptoms increased during the second lockdown (p < 0.001). Parents' depression (p < 0.001) and anxiety (p = 0.027) levels also increased during the second lockdown. Logistic regression showed that the use of psychotropic medication in parents and parents’ depression scores were risk factors for children to have worse depression scores. Conclusion The second lockdown appears to worsen the effects of the pandemic on children’s and parents’ mental health. There is a need to implement specific interventions targeting both children/adolescents and their parents to support them during lockdown periods and improve mental health outcomes.

Self-Reported Anxiety and Depression among Parents of Primary School Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Thailand, 2022

“…When compared to surveys conducted among parents at the global level, our generalized anxiety prevalence was lower than that found in France during the first lockdown (51.4%) [10] but slightly higher than that of Belgium (40.7%) [11]. However, our depression prevalence was much lower than those found in Belgium (54.6%) [11] and South Korea (46.5%) when combining mild and moderate to severe depression [14].…”

“…When compared to surveys conducted among parents at the global level, our generalized anxiety prevalence was lower than that found in France during the first lockdown (51.4%) [10] but slightly higher than that of Belgium (40.7%) [11]. However, our depression prevalence was much lower than those found in Belgium (54.6%) [11] and South Korea (46.5%) when combining mild and moderate to severe depression [14]. Both generalized anxiety and depression levels found in this study are higher than those found in a two-wave survey in Norway (depression of 23.0%, generalized anxiety of 23.3% in the 1st wave, and depression of 16.8% and generalized anxiety of 13.8% in the 2nd wave) [12].…”

“…Additionally, during the first lockdown in France, the prevalence of anxiety among parents with at least one child aged 8-19 years was approximately 51.4% [10]. In Belgium, an online survey during the second lockdown revealed that 54.6% of parents reported moderate-tosevere scores of depression, and about 40.7% of them reported moderate-to-severe scores of anxiety [11]. In Norway, a two-wave longitudinal survey found that the prevalence of depression and anxiety during the first wave was 23.0% and 23.3%, respectively, while the prevalence during the second wave were fairly subsided (16.8% for depression and 13.8% for anxiety) [12].…”

Strengthening Mental Health and Resilience Through Schools: Protocol for a Participatory Design Project

“…Moreover, the mental health of children and young people within urban settings has increasingly come to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence suggests that the pandemic, as well as isolation and loneliness as a consequence of lockdown measures, have led to a considerable increase in symptoms of depression and anxiety in young people [ 9 , 10 ]. Even post the COVID-19 pandemic, the rates of psychological symptoms seem to remain remarkably high.…”