Effect of home quarantine due to COVID19 pandemic on psychological status and behaviour of children 1½ to 5 years old. An online study (preprint)

ABSTRACT

Background: Children are largely spared from the direct health effects of COVID-19, nevertheless, they are among the biggest victims because of the profound effect on their mental well-being, social development, safety, privacy, and their economic security.ObjectivesStudying the effect of home quarantine on the mental and psychological wellbeing of the under five years' children compared with their own status prior to the quarantine.Subjects and Methods: A comparative retrospective cross sectional survey study was carried out online. A sample of 200 under-five age children was taken and their primary care giver had answered the questions. The study was done in 2020.ResultsA statistically significant difference between the mean score of the children before and after quarantine (t= -6.8, p=.0001),most of the changes were increase screen time, increase stubbornness, clinging to parents, anger and sleeping problems.ConclusionsHome quarantine had a significant effect on the psychological status and behaviour of under-five age children.