Effects of COVID-19 Outbreak on Children’s Mental Health: A Comparative Study with Children Diagnosed and Isolated from Their Parents

Objective@#The COVID-19 outbreak has negatively affected children in many ways. This study aimed to compare the psychological responses of children exposed to different levels of stress during the COVID-19 outbreak. @*Methods@#The anxiety levels, negative thoughts, and quality of life of COVID-19-positive children with COVID-19-positive parents (Child+ group, n=17), COVID-19-negative children who are separated from COVID-19-positive parents (Parent+ group, n=59), and a control group (n=64) were compared. The participants completed the Screen for Child Anxiety and Related Disorders (SCARED), Children’s Negative Cognitive Errors Questionnaire (CNCEQ), and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL). @*Results@#The statistical analysis revealed that the Parent+ group recorded higher SCARED and CNCEQ scores and lower PedsQL scores in comparison with the control group. No statistically significant difference was found between the scores of the Child+ and control groups. Furthermore, high CNCEQ scores and low PedsQL scores in the Parent+ group predicted an increase in their SCARED scores. @*Conclusion@#Our study indicates that separating children from their parents during the COVID-19 outbreak negatively influences their mental health and increases their anxiety levels.

Depressive Temperament in Relatives of Patients with Schizophrenia Is Associated with Suicidality in Patients with Schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE: Suicide is a major cause of death in patients with schizophrenia; thus, predicting and preventing suicide in patients with schizophrenia is examined in various studies. Affective temperaments which are accepted as precursors of mood disorders may be an important factor in predicting suicidality. This study investigated the relationship between affective temperaments of relatives of schizophrenia patients and suicidal thoughts and other clinical correlates of patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: Patients with schizophrenia and their first degree relatives are included to the study. All of the participants were evaluated with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV axis I disorders and relatives with active psychiatric diagnosis were excluded. Positive and Negative Symptom Scale, Clinical Global Impression Scale, Turkish version of cognitive assessment interview were administered congruently to the patients. Relatives of the patients were evaluated with Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego-Auto-questionnaire. RESULTS: Depressive temperament scores of relatives of schizophrenic patients who had suicidal thoughts were higher than the scores of the relatives of the patients who did not have suicidal thoughts. Depressive temperament also predicted number of suicide attempts in regression analysis. Number of suicide attempts was also related with number of hospitalization and functionality of the patient. CONCLUSION: Suicidality in schizophrenia is related with relatives’ affective temperaments and patients’ own positive symptom scores. The relationship between suicidal thoughts and depressive temperament is high lightened in this study