Caregiver’s reports of their children’s psychological symptoms after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and caregiver’s perceived stress in Turkey

Abstract

Purpose

There is limited information about Turkish children’s mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak. Here, in a Turkish community sample, we investigate the psychological symptoms in primary school children after the start of the COVID-19 outbreak according to caregivers and the caregivers’ perceived stress levels.

Materials and methods

The sample was randomly selected from the primary schools in Denizli, Turkey. Denizli is a large city and the total population is around one-million. The study was conducted online. The caregivers responded to a sociodemographic and daily life during pandemic questionnaire and psychological symptoms screening form (which evaluated whether the children had any newly developed symptoms after the start of the COVID-19 outbreak) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). One-thousand-seven-hundred-ninety-seven people were included in the study. Data was collected between 3 July and 31 August 2020.

Results

Symptoms such as anhedonia, gets angry easily, fidgets around, sleeping problems, impulsivity, appetite problems, restlessness or nervousness, and feels sad can be seen more frequently than other symptoms in children. Caregivers’ PSS scores were higher in mothers than fathers. An association was found between the PSS scores of the caregivers and all psychological symptoms questioned in the study for children, except for encopresis. Lower education level of the father, lower family income, having a child with a psychiatric disease, impaired sibling relationship, and impaired functionality at home were risk factors for higher caregivers’ PSS scores.

Conclusion

It may be beneficial to take supportive measures in terms of protecting children’s mental health.

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• children
• mental health
• perceived stress
• Turkey

Acknowledgments

The authors thank to Denizli provincial directorate of national education and the parents, who participated in this study. We also want to thank Hande Şenol for the statistical contribution.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The authors received no specific funding for this study.

Notes on contributors

Ahmet Büber

Ahmet Büber, MD, is a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Pamukkale University Faculty of Medicine. His research focuses on the epidemiology of mental disorders.

Merve Aktaş Terzioğlu

Merve Aktaş Terzioğlu, MD, is a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Pamukkale University Faculty of Medicine. Her research focuses on obsessive-compulsive disorder and related disorders, and behavioral addiction.