Socio-emotional adjustment throughout the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study of elementary school-aged children from low-income neighbourhoods.

Abstract

Children's socio-emotional adjustment during the COVID-19 pandemic could depend on their pre-pandemic risk of heightened socio-emotional distress and available resources. In a sample of elementary school-aged children from low-income neighbourhoods in Germany, we examined children's socio-emotional adjustment throughout two pandemic-related school closing periods of 5months each and explored possible determinants of their adjustment. On three occasions before and after school closing, home-room teachers reported on the distress of 365 children (Mage =8.45, 53% female) and provided information on their family backgrounds and internal resources. We studied child pre-pandemic risk of low socio-emotional adjustment based on low basic care by families and group membership (i.e., recently arrived refugee, deprived Roma family). We studied child resources regarding families' home learning support during school closings and selected internal resources of the children (German reading skills, academic ability). Results showed that children's distress did not increase throughout the school closings. Instead, their distress remained at constant levels or even decreased. On pre-pandemic risk, only low basic care was linked to higher levels of distress and worse trajectories. On child resources, home learning support, academic ability, and German reading skills were inconsistently linked to less distress and better trajectories depending on the school closing period. Our findings suggest better-than-expected socio-emotional adjustment of children from low-income neighbourhoods during the COVID-19 pandemic.