Child and caregiver mental health during COVID-19 (preprint)

ABSTRACT

There are urgent calls for research into the mental health consequences of living through the COVID-19 pandemic. We describe caregiver and child mental health over 12 months using Australias only nationally representative, repeated cross-sectional survey of caregivers with children (0-17 years). N=2020 caregivers in June 2020, N=1434 in September 2020, and N=2508 in July 2021 provided data. Caregivers rated their mental health (Kessler-6), and impacts of the pandemic on their own and their childrens mental health. Data were weighted using national distribution of age, gender, number of children, state/territory and neighbourhood-level disadvantage. Mental health measures worsened over time. There was an unequal distribution of impacts based on caregiver gender, child age and family socioeconomic characteristics. Negative impacts were more common with current or cumulative lockdown. The indirect impacts of COVID-19 are real and concerning. Mental health must be central to the immediate and ongoing pandemic responses for families and children. What is known about this topic?- The global evidence shows that, for general adult populations, psychological distress peaked in the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic before appearing to rebound. - Less is known about long-term mental health consequences of living through the pandemic, especially for caregivers and children. There are urgent calls for research. - Due to low infection rates, Australias experience can provide insight into the mental health impacts of lockdown without the compounding direct harms of the virus. What this study adds- From June 2020 to July 2021, caregivers reported declining mental health and increasing negative mental health impacts of COVID-19 for themselves and their children. - There was an unequal distribution of mental health impacts based on caregiver gender, child age and family socioeconomic characteristics. - Lockdown (current or cumulative) was detrimental for caregivers and childrens mental health. Pandemic response and recovery planning must consider families mental health.