The impact of lockdown on child adjustment: a propensity score matched analysis

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an inestimable impact worldwide, challenging the daily lives and interactions of children and their families. In 2022, Shanghai implemented a three-month lockdown in response to an acceleration of positive cases during the pandemic period. This restrictive policy provided insight into the impact of the lockdown on children's social adjustment and the role of parent–child conflict during this process. Mothers of preschool-aged children participated in this study and completed the Chinese version of Child-Parent Relationship Scale (CPRS) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Using Propensity Score Matching (PSM) method, two matched groups were formed: pre-lockdown group and post-lockdown group, with a total of 574 preschoolers (N = 297 in each group; Mage = 4.36, SD = 0.86) were recruited. The results showed that the lockdown directly impacted children's emotional symptoms. Additionally, the parent–child conflict mediated relationship between the lockdown and children's adjustment. Specifically, parent–child conflict deteriorated children's emotional symptoms, hyperactivity-attention problems, and prosocial behaviors. These findings highlight the significant impact of the severe lockdown on children's social adjustment and the role of parent–child interactions during this period.