|
1
|
Sesso G, Bonaventura E, Buchignani B, Della Vecchia S, Fedi C, Gazzillo M, Micomonaco J, Salvati A, Conti E, Cioni G, Muratori F, Masi G, Milone A, Battini R. Parental Distress in the Time of COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study on Pediatric Patients with Neuropsychiatric Conditions during Lockdown. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:ijerph18157902. [PMID: 34360193 PMCID: PMC8345642 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18157902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic has had adverse psychological effects on children and parents. While parenting is essential for positive development, increased parental distress has interfered with children’s wellbeing. In our study, we aimed to identify the predictors of parental distress in families of children with neuropsychiatric disorders during lockdown. Seventy-seven parents of children with neuropsychiatric disorders were asked to fill three online questionnaires (a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Parental-Stress-Index (PSI-4-SF) to explore the relationship between parental distress, emotional/behavioral problems in children and quarantine-related factors through univariate analyses and multiple mediation models. Significant positive associations between CBCL-internalizing-problems and all PSI-4-SF subscales, and between CBCL-externalizing-problems and “Difficult Child” subscales were found. “Parent–Child Dysfunctional Interaction” subscale and teachers–child relationship quality resulted negatively associated, as well as the “Difficult Child” subscale and peers–child relationship quality. The effect of teachers–child relationship quality on “Parent–Child Dysfunctional Interaction” was mediated by children internalizing problems, while the effect of peers–child relationship quality on “Difficult Child” by the child internalizing/externalizing problems. Internalizing problems in children with neuropsychiatric disorders were among the strongest predictors of parental stress during lockdown, mediating the indirect effects of quarantine-related factors, thus suggesting the importance of their detection during and after emergency situations to provide assistance and reduce parenting pressure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Sesso
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (G.S.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (J.M.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (F.M.)
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.M.); (A.M.)
| | - Eleonora Bonaventura
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (G.S.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (J.M.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (F.M.)
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.M.); (A.M.)
| | - Bianca Buchignani
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (G.S.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (J.M.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (F.M.)
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.M.); (A.M.)
| | - Stefania Della Vecchia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (G.S.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (J.M.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (F.M.)
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.M.); (A.M.)
| | - Caterina Fedi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (G.S.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (J.M.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (F.M.)
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.M.); (A.M.)
| | - Marisa Gazzillo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (G.S.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (J.M.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (F.M.)
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.M.); (A.M.)
| | - Jessica Micomonaco
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (G.S.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (J.M.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (F.M.)
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.M.); (A.M.)
| | - Andrea Salvati
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (G.S.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (J.M.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (F.M.)
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.M.); (A.M.)
| | - Eugenia Conti
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.M.); (A.M.)
| | - Giovanni Cioni
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (G.S.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (J.M.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (F.M.)
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.M.); (A.M.)
| | - Filippo Muratori
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (G.S.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (J.M.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (F.M.)
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.M.); (A.M.)
| | - Gabriele Masi
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.M.); (A.M.)
| | - Annarita Milone
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.M.); (A.M.)
| | - Roberta Battini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (G.S.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (J.M.); (A.S.); (G.C.); (F.M.)
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.M.); (A.M.)
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
|
2
|
Conti E, Sgandurra G, De Nicola G, Biagioni T, Boldrini S, Bonaventura E, Buchignani B, Della Vecchia S, Falcone F, Fedi C, Gazzillo M, Marinella G, Mazzullo C, Micomonaco J, Pantalone G, Salvati A, Sesso G, Simonelli V, Tolomei G, Troiano I, Cioni G, Masi G, Muratori F, Milone A, Battini R. Behavioural and Emotional Changes during COVID-19 Lockdown in an Italian Paediatric Population with Neurologic and Psychiatric Disorders. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10120918. [PMID: 33260987 PMCID: PMC7760933 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10120918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
On 11 March 2020, a national lockdown was imposed by the Italian government to contain the spread of COVID19 disease. This is an observational longitudinal study conducted at Fondazione Stella Maris (FSM), Italy to investigate lockdown-related emotional and behavioural changes in paediatric neuropsychiatric population. Families having children (1.5-18 years) with neuropsychiatric disorders referred to FSM have been contacted and proposed to fulfil two online questionnaires (General questionnaire and Child Behaviour Check List (CBCL)) to (i) compare (paired two-sample t-tests) the CBCL scores during lockdown with previous ones, and (ii) investigate the influence (multiple linear regression models) of variables such as age, diagnosis grouping (neurological, neurodevelopmental, emotional, and behavioural disorders) and financial hardship. One hundred and forty-one parents fulfilled the questionnaires. Anxiety and somatic problems increased in 1.5-5 years subpopulation, while obsessive-compulsive, post-traumatic and thought problems increased in 6-18 years subpopulation. In the regression models, younger age in the 1.5-5 years subpopulation resulted as "protective" while financial hardship experienced by families during lockdown was related to psychiatric symptoms increasing in the 6-18 years subpopulation. Some considerations, based on first clinical impressions, are provided in text together with comments in relation to previous and emerging literature on the topic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Conti
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.S.); (G.C.); (G.M.); (F.M.)
| | - Giuseppina Sgandurra
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.S.); (G.C.); (G.M.); (F.M.)
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | | | - Tommaso Biagioni
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | - Silvia Boldrini
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | - Eleonora Bonaventura
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | - Bianca Buchignani
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | - Stefania Della Vecchia
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | - Francesca Falcone
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | - Caterina Fedi
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | - Marisa Gazzillo
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | - Gemma Marinella
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | - Cristina Mazzullo
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | - Jessica Micomonaco
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | - Gloria Pantalone
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | - Andrea Salvati
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | - Gianluca Sesso
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | - Valerio Simonelli
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | - Greta Tolomei
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | - Irene Troiano
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | - Giovanni Cioni
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.S.); (G.C.); (G.M.); (F.M.)
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | - Gabriele Masi
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.S.); (G.C.); (G.M.); (F.M.)
| | - Filippo Muratori
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.S.); (G.C.); (G.M.); (F.M.)
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
| | - Annarita Milone
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.S.); (G.C.); (G.M.); (F.M.)
- Correspondence: (A.M.); (R.B.); Tel.: +39-050-886-299 (A.M.)
| | - Roberta Battini
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (G.S.); (G.C.); (G.M.); (F.M.)
- Department of Clinical ad Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (T.B.); (S.B.); (E.B.); (B.B.); (S.D.V.); (F.F.); (C.F.); (M.G.); (G.M.); (C.M.); (J.M.); (G.P.); (A.S.); (G.S.); (V.S.); (G.T.); (I.T.)
- Correspondence: (A.M.); (R.B.); Tel.: +39-050-886-299 (A.M.)
| |
Collapse
|