Social-emotional and behavioural problems in young children of healthcare worker mothers during the COVID-19 outbreak: a case-control study.
BMC Psychiatry
; 24(1): 407, 2024 May 30.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38816756
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The pandemic has had a significant impact on the daily lives of children and their families, particularly the children of health care workers, due to changes in family routines as a result of their parents' work schedules. We aimed to explore the socioemotional and behavioural (SEB) problems of children of healthcare worker mothers (HCWM) during the COVID-19 pandemic and compare them with age-matched children and their mothers from other occupations.METHOD:
A case-control study design was applied, and a snowball approach was used to enrol volunteered participants aged between 6 and 36 months of age, through a Google survey. We used the Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment (BITSEA) questionnaire to assess children's SEB problems and a Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) to evaluate the psychological distress of mothers. Differences in BITSEA, BSI and MSPSS scores were examined using chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests, as appropriate. A logistic regression model was used to identify independent predictors of children's behavioural and emotional problems.RESULTS:
In total, 600 questionnaires were analysed. It was observed that children in the HCWM group were separated from their mothers more often and for longer periods of time than their counterparts (p < 0.010, p = 0.002). Changes in the child's structured outdoor activities during the pandemic period were more likely to be observed in the HCWM group (p < 0.05). The percentage of children with the BITSEA problem subscale above the subclinical cut-off, externalizing and dysregulation scores were significantly higher in the HCWM group (p = 0.044, p = 0.031, and p = 0.016). Moreover, each point increase in BSI global index scores (p < 0.001, RR3.34, 95%CI1.91-5.82) was found as a risk factor for clinically significant SEB problems.CONCLUSION:
Overall, the current study suggests HCWM's have experienced occupational inequality, and young children of HCWM's were at increased risk for externalizing and dysregulation problems during the pandemic. Maternal psychological stress had a significant impact on their children's socio-emotional well-being.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Personal de Salud
/
COVID-19
/
Madres
Límite:
Adult
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Infant
/
Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
BMC Psychiatry
Asunto de la revista:
PSIQUIATRIA
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Turquía