Protecting the psychological health of children through effective communication about COVID-19

作者：L. Dalton, E. Rapa, A. Stein · 发表于：The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health · 年份：2020 · DOI：10.1016/s2352-4642(20)30097-3 · 被引用次数：491 · 研究领域：Medicine、Psychology

www.thelancet.com/child-adolescent Published online March 31, 2020 https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(20)30097-3 1 The attention of the world is rightly focused on measures to mitigate the transmission and economic effect of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. In this rapidly changing situation, media and social conversations are entirely dominated by the outbreak, and children are exposed to large amounts of information and high levels of stress and anxiety in the adults around them. Simultaneously, children are experiencing substantial changes to their daily routine and social infrastructure, which ordinarily foster resilience to challenging events. Parents would do anything to protect their children from distress and might avoid talking about difficult feelings and events. However, research shows that even children as young as 2 years are aware of the changes around them. Children’s understanding evolves throughout childhood and adolescence. Thus, when adults talk to children, the information provided needs to take into account the child’s age and level of understanding. Sensitive and effective communication about life-threatening illness has major benefits for children and their family’s longterm psychological wellbeing. Children need honest information about changes within their family; when this information is absent, children attempt to make sense of the situation on their own. Consideration of the child’s developmental stage is crucial to ensure th...