Background

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments have implemented preventive measures towards reducing infections. These conditions can affect the mental health of children and adolescents; however, this has not yet been fully explored.

Objective

The aim of the study was to analyze changes in symptomatology and positive emotions in Argentine children and adolescents since the onset of isolation, based on parent/caregiver report. We analyzed differences based on gender, age, socioeconomic status (SS) and containment measure (and their interactions); their associations with symptomatology and positive affect of parents/caregivers; and the moderating effects of sociodemographic factors on these associations.

Method

A total of 1205 caregivers responded to a survey regarding the mental health of children and adolescents under their care. They also completed a set of anxiety, depression, and affect measures about themselves.

Results

A considerable proportion of parents/caregivers perceived changes in their children’s and adolescents’ mental health compared to before the pandemic. Increased levels of anxiety-depression, aggression-irritability, impulsivity-inattention, and dependence-withdrawal were reported, as well as alterations in sleeping and eating habits, and a reduction in positive affect. Differences were observed according to their age and containment measure. Finally, we found correlations between parents/caregivers’ symptomatology and that reported about their children or adolescents. Gender, age and SS moderated some of these relationships.

Conclusions

Continued monitoring of child and adolescent mental health is a fundamental necessity. We recommend the implementation of early intervention strategies to prevent the escalation of serious mental health problems, particularly in those groups that have been most adversely affected since the onset of the pandemic.

中文翻译：

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阿根廷 COVID-19 大流行期间父母对儿童和青少年心理健康的看法

背景

由于 COVID-19 大流行，各国政府已采取预防措施来减少感染。这些情况会影响儿童和青少年的心理健康；然而，这还没有被充分探索。

客观的

该研究的目的是根据父母/照顾者的报告，分析自隔离开始以来阿根廷儿童和青少年的症状和积极情绪的变化。我们分析了基于性别、年龄、社会经济地位 (SS) 和遏制措施（及其相互作用）的差异；它们与父母/照顾者的症状和积极影响的关联；以及社会人口因素对这些关联的调节作用。

方法

共有 1205 名看护人对一项关于他们看护的儿童和青少年心理健康的调查作出回应。他们还完成了一套关于自己的焦虑、抑郁和情感测量。

结果

与大流行前相比，相当比例的父母/照顾者认为他们的孩子和青少年的心理健康发生了变化。据报道，焦虑抑郁、攻击性易怒、冲动注意力不集中和依赖戒断水平增加，睡眠和饮食习惯改变，积极影响减少。根据他们的年龄和收容措施观察到差异。最后，我们发现了父母/照顾者的症状与他们的孩子或青少年的症状之间的相关性。性别、年龄和 SS 调节了其中一些关系。

结论

持续监测儿童和青少年的心理健康是一项基本必要条件。我们建议实施早期干预策略，以防止严重的心理健康问题升级，特别是在那些自大流行开始以来受到最不利影响的群体中。