Psychological and social distress in parents and children 0-6 years old during the COVID-19 pandemic: Emotional and behavioral consequences between lockdown and post-lockdown

Journal title MALTRATTAMENTO E ABUSO ALL’INFANZIA
Author/s Angelica Arace, Donatella Scarzello, Paola Zonca, Protima Agostini
Publishing Year 2021 Issue 2021/2 Language Italian
Pages 21 P. 11-31 File size 233 KB
DOI 10.3280/MAL2021-002002
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Research on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on families and children have focused on the period of the lockdown, highlighting important maladaptive consequences, while there are fewer data in the later stages, as analyzed instead in the our study through an on-line questionnaire completed by 945 parents of preschool children. Data analysis highlights an increase in emotional and behavioral problems of children during the lockdown, and a decrease in the following months, but with consistent aftermath of symptoms, which remain higher than in the non-emergency phase, with differences based on gender and age of the chil-dren, family climate and parenting emotional experiences. It is therefore essential to take action to reduce risk factors by taking charge of the vulnerabilities of the family system and promot-ing resilience strategies.

Keywords: COVID-19; pandemic; parenting; preschool children; psychological distress; be-havioral problems

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Angelica Arace, Donatella Scarzello, Paola Zonca, Protima Agostini, Disagio psichico e sociale in genitori e bambini 0-6 anni durante la pandemia da COVID-19: conseguenze emotive e comportamentali tra lockdown e post-lockdown in "MALTRATTAMENTO E ABUSO ALL’INFANZIA" 2/2021, pp 11-31, DOI: 10.3280/MAL2021-002002