Abstract
As a result of the outbreak of COVID-19 and consequent restrictions, the distance education was introduced in Lithuania in 2020 spring (the first lockdown, lasted for around 3 months) and 2020 autumn (the second lockdown, still lasting, June 2021). The prevalence of children’s mental health problems during the first lockdown was similar to pre-epidemic rates in Lithuania, but the prolonged lockdown (and therefore school closure) might have more negative consequences on children’s mental health. This study aimed to reveal the incidence of mental health problems as rated by parents with a Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire during the second lockdown in school aged children. This research sample included data of 514 children (46% girls), aged 7 to 14 years old (mean age 10.15 years, SD = 3.47). The children’s mental health problems were assessed using a Lithuanian version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, parental form, in April–May 2021. Results revealed that 29.6% of Lithuanian children had scores in the clinical (abnormal) range of emotional problems and 21.6% – of conduct problems. Based on total difficulties score, 31.6% of children get in clinical range of emotional and behavioural problems, as rated by parents by the end of the second lockdown. The results are compared to pre-pandemic epidemiological rates of emotional and behavioural problems reported and those documented after the first quarantine in Lithuania and highlight important findings for professionals and policy makers about the detrimental effects of prolonged lockdown and school closure on children’s mental health.
Highlights
The World Health Organization (WHO) have declared on March 11, 2020 a pandemic for the novel coronavirus SARS-Cov-2 (COVID-19), and it continues till (June 2021)
We propose that the 2nd prolonged lockdown and the school closure had much more negative consequences for children’s mental health as compared to pre-pandemic epidemiological rates of emotional and behavioral problems reported earlier and those documented after the first quarantine in Lithuania
About one third of children (29.6%) scored above the abnormal cut-off of emotional problems and around one fourth of the children (24.6%) scored above the abnormal cut-off of conduct problems. 41.1% of children were scoring in the clinical range of peer problems, this finding should be interpreted with caution due to questionable scale reliability and due to the context of rating
Summary
The World Health Organization (WHO) have declared on March 11, 2020 a pandemic for the novel coronavirus SARS-Cov-2 (COVID-19), and it continues till (June 2021). The Lithuanian Government has ordered a national lockdown on March 16, 2020. To prevent the spread of COVID-19 infections in primary and secondary schools, distance education was introduced for all school aged children and proceeded from 16th March to 16th June. Starting from the end of October 2020, the Lithuanian Government has introduced the second national lockdown, starting with the closure of schools and coming back to distance education again. Distance education was introduced from 14th December, and were partly opened (mixed form of education introduced) in March or April 2021. Secondary schools were totally closed, and distance education was introduced from 2nd November 2020, and were partly opened for Trumpos ataskaitos / Brief Reports. Risk of Behavioural and Emotional Disorders in Lithuanian School Aged Children as Assessed with SDQ During
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