Effects of COVID-19 Lockdowns on the development of educational, social and emotional gaps between the children - A Retrospective Chart Review

Abstract

Objective School closures due to the COVID-19 outbreak have affected the world's students physically, socially, and psychologically with an increase in the number of children and adolescent with anxiety, depression and drug abuse. Methods This study included 380 children evaluated in the outpatient Child Psychiatric Clinic, and were divided into two groups: before the lockdowns (BLD) (n = 248), from 1.2019 to 2.2020, and during the lockdowns (LD) (n = 132), from 3.2020 to 4.2021. Results When comparing the LD to BLD there was increase in suicide attempts (9.8% Vs 2.8%), in the use of psychotherapy (81% Vs. 56%), and a decrease in the diagnoses of behavior disorders (29.5% Vs 44.8%), and ADHD (29.5% vs. 50%) and decrease in stimulants use (22.7% Vs. 38%). Conclusion Many children may develop educational, social, emotional and behavioral gaps alongside the loss of skills in dealing with everyday problems due to social isolation during LD, emphasizing the importance of the education system.

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“…Quarantine due to the pandemic had a significant impact on young people. In their article, T. Ebert et al (2022) presented the results of a study of the impact of quarantine on Israeli students physically, socially and psychologically, how the number of children suffering from anxiety and depression has changed. It has been found that many children experienced learning, social, emotional, and behavioural gaps during the lockdown and lost the skills to cope with everyday challenges due to social isolation.…”

Peculiarities of the impact of learning losses on the formation of human capital in Ukraine under martial law

“…Quarantine due to the pandemic had a significant impact on young people. In their article, T. Ebert et al (2022) presented the results of a study of the impact of quarantine on Israeli students physically, socially and psychologically, how the number of children suffering from anxiety and depression has changed. It has been found that many children experienced learning, social, emotional, and behavioural gaps during the lockdown and lost the skills to cope with everyday challenges due to social isolation.…”