Impact of COVID-19 on Children's Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptomology, Daily Life, and Problem Behavior During Virtual Learning.

Abstract

ABSTRACT To explore the impact of COVID‐19 on daily life and problem behavior during virtual learning, we created and administered a survey to 64 school‐aged children (in 2019, M = 9.84 years; SD = 0.55 years). Results indicated significant increases in hyperactivity (t = −2.259; p = .027) and inattention (t = −2.811; p = .007) from 2019 to 2020. Decreases in sleep were associated with increases in hyperactivity (B = −0.27; p = .04); increases in time exercising were associated with smaller increases in inattention (B = −0.34, p = .01); and higher levels of parent stress, specifically related to virtual learning, were associated with increases in child inattention (B = 0.57, p = .01). Furthermore, hyperactivity predicted problem behavior during virtual learning (B = 0.31, p = .03).