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The pandemic and its consequences for children and adolescents

The pandemic and its consequences for children and adolescents
The pandemic and its consequences for children and adolescents
© www.youthwork-practice.com

Even if children and adolescents are hardly affected by the coronavirus themselves according to the current medical status, the accompanying circumstances have a negative impact on them, as has now been established in a study.

Actually, the result of the study was predictable, but now it is confirmed in black and white. On behalf of the research department, Child Public Health of the Hamburg University Hospital Eppendorf and the Hertie School Berlin, the RKI, and the Federal Center for Health Education, the Opinion Research Institute infratest dimap conducted a nationwide survey.

This survey aimed to determine whether and how children's mental health changed during the pandemic. To this end, 1040 children and adolescents aged 11 to 17 years and 1586 parents were surveyed. The survey was conducted online using a questionnaire.

Destitute children are more affected

In general, the children surveyed, and their parents see a decline in their quality of life. Understandably, children from low-income households suffer more than those with more affluent parents. Tight living conditions and fewer financial resources cause tensions in practically every area of daily life. In addition, children, and adolescents, for whom contact with peers is of the utmost importance, could hardly maintain this contact during the quarantine periods.

Key points of the study were

  • Mental health
  • Quality of life
  • Health behaviors
  • School
  • Family
  • Friends

In comparisons to the times before the pandemic outbreak, existing nationwide studies were evaluated.

The pandemic and its consequences for children and adolescents
The pandemic and its consequences for children and adolescents
©: 2012 Fasphotographic - Fotolia

Worse than expected

Of course, the study's researchers also expected to see a worsening. Still, they were surprised by the magnitude of the discrepancies. Whereas before the Corona crisis, for example, only one-third of children and young people complained of poor quality of life and poor well-being, this doubled during the crisis, to 71%. The situation was similar in the other segments surveyed, with mental health problems, for example, rising by 13%. A whole range of psychosomatic complaints were also recorded, and emotional and behavioral issues such as irritability or difficulties falling asleep. The increase in hyperactivity is interesting, a mental disorder whose diagnosis is quite complex and can hardly be determined via an online questionnaire.

The fact that two-thirds of the children and young people surveyed find school more stressful than before the pandemic comes as no surprise. After all, they must come to terms with a completely new school structure. However, this level of dissatisfaction will presumably fall quickly because children are unquestionably the most adaptable members of our society. What there is little room for adaptation to, however, are cramped apartments in which children and parents have too little free space. Low levels of education or the migration background of parents also have a negative effect. In the pandemic with restrictive state requirements, this can culminate in a powder keg that is sure to blow up a time or two.

For child and youth leaders, the result will be that more family and school problems will be brought into the groups. However, these pressures will not always show up in direct relation to the fundamental problem but as a symptom, such as increased aggressiveness or, on the contrary, increased taciturnity. In any case, this should be discussed, and the study provides a reasonable basis for this.

Game ideas in times of Corona


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