COVID-19: psychological symptoms and coping strategies in preschoolers, schoolchildren, and adolescents

Elisa Delvecchio; Mireia Orgilés; Alexandra Morales; José Pedro Espada; Rita Francisco; Marta Pedro; Claudia Mazzeschi

doi:10.1016/j.appdev.2022.101390

COVID-19: psychological symptoms and coping strategies in preschoolers, schoolchildren, and adolescents

Elisa Delvecchio^*
, Mireia Orgilés^*
, Alexandra Morales^*
, José Pedro Espada^*
, Rita Francisco^*
, Marta Pedro^*
, Claudia Mazzeschi^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

28 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

The present study aimed to compare psychological symptoms and coping strategies in 1480 preschoolers, schoolchildren, and adolescents during home confinement due to COVID-19. We enrolled parents from Italy, Portugal, and Spain who completed a survey between the second and fourth week of lockdown. The results showed that preschoolers displayed more sleeping difficulties, temper tantrums, and dependency while adolescents' reactions were more related to COVID-19 worries and uncertainty. Schoolchildren showed more difficulty in concentrating. Adolescent girls showed higher anxiety levels than schoolchildren boys. Schoolchildren relied more on emotion-oriented strategies, which were linked to increased internalizing and externalizing symptoms in all ages. Task-oriented strategies, regardless of the child's age, work best to cope with stress. Our findings provide information for professionals and parents about children's most common and adaptive coping strategies according to age. Furthermore, they contribute to the early detection of long-term psychological maladjustment in children.

Original language	English
Article number	101390
Number of pages	12
Journal	Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology
Volume	79
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2022.101390
Publication status	Published - 1 Mar 2022

Keywords

Adolescents
COVID-19
Children
Coping strategies
Psychological symptoms
Quarantine

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10.1016/j.appdev.2022.101390

40993197Accepted author manuscript, 978 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/46571Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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title = "COVID-19: psychological symptoms and coping strategies in preschoolers, schoolchildren, and adolescents",

abstract = "The present study aimed to compare psychological symptoms and coping strategies in 1480 preschoolers, schoolchildren, and adolescents during home confinement due to COVID-19. We enrolled parents from Italy, Portugal, and Spain who completed a survey between the second and fourth week of lockdown. The results showed that preschoolers displayed more sleeping difficulties, temper tantrums, and dependency while adolescents' reactions were more related to COVID-19 worries and uncertainty. Schoolchildren showed more difficulty in concentrating. Adolescent girls showed higher anxiety levels than schoolchildren boys. Schoolchildren relied more on emotion-oriented strategies, which were linked to increased internalizing and externalizing symptoms in all ages. Task-oriented strategies, regardless of the child's age, work best to cope with stress. Our findings provide information for professionals and parents about children's most common and adaptive coping strategies according to age. Furthermore, they contribute to the early detection of long-term psychological maladjustment in children.",

keywords = "Adolescents, COVID-19, Children, Coping strategies, Psychological symptoms, Quarantine",

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AU - Delvecchio, Elisa

AU - Orgilés, Mireia

AU - Morales, Alexandra

AU - Espada, José Pedro

AU - Francisco, Rita

AU - Pedro, Marta

AU - Mazzeschi, Claudia

PY - 2022/3/1

Y1 - 2022/3/1

N2 - The present study aimed to compare psychological symptoms and coping strategies in 1480 preschoolers, schoolchildren, and adolescents during home confinement due to COVID-19. We enrolled parents from Italy, Portugal, and Spain who completed a survey between the second and fourth week of lockdown. The results showed that preschoolers displayed more sleeping difficulties, temper tantrums, and dependency while adolescents' reactions were more related to COVID-19 worries and uncertainty. Schoolchildren showed more difficulty in concentrating. Adolescent girls showed higher anxiety levels than schoolchildren boys. Schoolchildren relied more on emotion-oriented strategies, which were linked to increased internalizing and externalizing symptoms in all ages. Task-oriented strategies, regardless of the child's age, work best to cope with stress. Our findings provide information for professionals and parents about children's most common and adaptive coping strategies according to age. Furthermore, they contribute to the early detection of long-term psychological maladjustment in children.

AB - The present study aimed to compare psychological symptoms and coping strategies in 1480 preschoolers, schoolchildren, and adolescents during home confinement due to COVID-19. We enrolled parents from Italy, Portugal, and Spain who completed a survey between the second and fourth week of lockdown. The results showed that preschoolers displayed more sleeping difficulties, temper tantrums, and dependency while adolescents' reactions were more related to COVID-19 worries and uncertainty. Schoolchildren showed more difficulty in concentrating. Adolescent girls showed higher anxiety levels than schoolchildren boys. Schoolchildren relied more on emotion-oriented strategies, which were linked to increased internalizing and externalizing symptoms in all ages. Task-oriented strategies, regardless of the child's age, work best to cope with stress. Our findings provide information for professionals and parents about children's most common and adaptive coping strategies according to age. Furthermore, they contribute to the early detection of long-term psychological maladjustment in children.

KW - Adolescents

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KW - Children

KW - Coping strategies

KW - Psychological symptoms

KW - Quarantine

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JO - Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology

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ER -

COVID-19: psychological symptoms and coping strategies in preschoolers, schoolchildren, and adolescents

Abstract

Keywords

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Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Wellbeing of Children and Adolescents

CRC-W: Católica Research Centre for Psychological, Family and Social Wellbeing

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COVID-19: psychological symptoms and coping strategies in preschoolers, schoolchildren, and adolescents

Abstract

Keywords

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Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Wellbeing of Children and Adolescents

CRC-W: Católica Research Centre for Psychological, Family and Social Wellbeing

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