Parental anxiety and form of parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic

The Association Between the Impact of COVID-19 and Internalizing Problems Among Children and Adolescents with ADHD: The Moderating Role of Parental Anxiety

Previous research has identified an increase in internalizing problems during the COVID-19 pandemic in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Additionally, it has been observed that parents of children with ADHD had elevated levels of anxiety during the pandemic. The current study aimed to longitudinally assess whether the impact of COVID-19 was associated with internalizing problems in children and adolescents with ADHD during the middle (Time 1-Spring 2021 [T1]) and end (Time 2-Fall/Winter 2022 [T2]) of the pandemic, and whether parental anxiety moderated this relationship over time. Canadian parents of youth with ADHD (aged 3-18 years old) completed online questionnaires assessing their child's depression and anxiety symptoms, their own anxiety symptoms, and the pandemic's impact on their child, both at T1 (N = 278) and T2 (N = 89). The results indicated that the impact of COVID-19 on children at T1 was a unique predictor of child internalizing problems at T1 but not at T2. While parental anxiety did not moderate this association cross-sectionally, it was a significant moderator longitudinally. More specifically, low parental anxiety at T1 positively moderated the association between the COVID-19 impact on children at T1 and child internalizing problems at T2. The results highlight the importance of providing on-going psychological support for children and adolescents with ADHD and emphasize the need to aid parents in effectively supporting their children during the process of pandemic recovery.

Psychological Reactions during and after a Lockdown: Self-Efficacy as a Protective Factor of Mental Health

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of home confinement/social isolation (i.e., lockdown), imposed to reduce large-scale spread of a disease in the population, on the mental health of individuals. Through an online survey during the lockdown (DL) related to COVID-19 (1085 respondents, 627 females, agerange: 18-82) (Italy, 23 April-2 May 2020), we revealed that situational factors, i.e., the presence of children at home and female gender, and psychological factors, i.e., a greater sense of isolation, lower perception of safety outside the home and higher trait anxiety, predicted higher levels of state anxiety (R2 = 0.58). The same factors, but with young age instead of the presence of children, predicted higher levels of perceived stress (R2 = 0.63). Then, these data were compared with those collected after the lockdown (AL) (174 respondents, 128 females, agerange: 19-78) (Italy, 1 July-31 October 2021). The results showed that along with a reduced sense of isolation (DL = 2.90 vs. AL = 2.10) and an increased perception of safety outside the home (DL = 2.63 vs. AL = 3.05), a reduction in state anxiety (DL = 45.76 vs. AL= 40.88) and stress appeared (DL = 18.84 vs. AL = 17.63). However, the situation was better for men than for women. Perceived self-efficacy emerged as a protective factor for mental health (R2range: 0.03-0.27). The results are discussed in light of the evidence on the effects of lockdown on individuals worldwide. These results may be used to make more educated decisions on targeted help for individuals who may be most adversely affected by the adoption of lockdowns in the future.

A Cross-Sectional Assessment of Parental Concerns in the Pediatric Surgery Department during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted various aspects of healthcare, including pediatric surgery. This study aimed to assess parental concerns and stress levels in pediatric surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic, identify factors associated with increased parental anxiety or concern, and provide recommendations for healthcare providers. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary pediatric hospital in Timisoara, Romania, involving 174 parents of pediatric patients requiring elective or emergency surgery, with a mean age of 37.6 (25-47) years, out of which 89.1% of respondents were women. Parental concerns were assessed using the Parental Concerns Questionnaire (PCQ), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Parents of children undergoing emergency surgery (n = 108) reported higher levels on the practical impact domain of the PCQ scale (3.4 vs. 2.2, p < 0.001), emotional impact (2.7 vs. 2.2, p = 0.002), and total PCQ score (9.5 vs. 7.7, p < 0.001) compared to parents of children undergoing elective surgery (n = 66). Parents in the emergent surgery group also reported higher anxiety scores on the HADS questionnaire (7.9 vs. 6.5, p = 0.009) and higher perceived stress and total score on the PSS-10 survey (7.8 vs. 5.6, p = 0.046) (10.5 vs. 9.1, p = 0.047), respectively. A significantly higher proportion of parents in the emergent surgery group were concerned about restricted visitation policies (p = 0.013) and reported delaying or considering delaying their child's surgery due to the pandemic (p = 0.036). The results demonstrate heightened concerns, anxiety, and stress among parents of children undergoing emergency surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare providers should address parental concerns, provide clear communication, and ensure adequate support for families. Recommendations include enhancing information about COVID-19 precautions, reassuring parents about personal protective equipment availability, and facilitating family support within visitation restrictions.