Impact of psychosocial stressors on emotional and behavioral problems in Chinese adolescents during the COVID-19 period: the explanatory value of loneliness

作者：Jingyi Wang, Yu Ting Yang, Haijiang Lin, Marcus Richards, Shuyue Yang, Hongbiao Liang, Xiaoxiao Chen, Chaowei Fu · 发表于：Translational Pediatrics · 年份：2021 · DOI：10.21037/tp-21-300 · 被引用次数：16 · 研究领域：COVID-19 and Mental Health、Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development、Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression

BACKGROUND: Chinese adolescents experienced a variety of stressors during the COVID-19 home confinement period. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems (EBPs) among adolescents during the COVID-19 period. The study also examined the relationships between psychosocial stressors and adolescents' EBPs, and explored the potential explanatory value of loneliness for any associations observed. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study which included 6,587 adolescents in Taizhou, China between April 16 and May 14, 2020. Adolescents' EBPs were assessed by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), while subjective feelings of loneliness were assessed using one item from the Children's Depression Inventory. We applied structural equation modelling to assess direct and indirect associations (explained by loneliness) between psychosocial stressors (study problems, parent-child relationship, and family or friends with COVID-19) and the total difficulties and prosocial scores. RESULTS: The prevalence of EBPs in the sample was 31.6% for total difficulties and 37.5% for prosocial problems. After adjustment for a range of covariates, the presence of study problems, poor parent-child relationship and family or friends with COVID-19 were significantly associated with a higher SDQ total difficulties score (β=6.20, 21.46, 5.21; P<0.01) and a lower prosocial score (β=-0.79, -4.35, -1.65; P<0.01). There was an explanatory effect of lonelines...