Emotional and Behavioural Changes in Children and Adolescents and Their Association With Parental Depression During COVID-19 Pandemic: a Pilot Study in Bangladesh.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the mental health of children, adolescents, and their parents. This study aimed to assess the emotional and behavioural changes in children and adolescents and their association with parental depression during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh.

Methods: On 7 May 2020 during COVID-19 lockdown, an online questionnaire was distributed through social media and made available for 10 days. Data were collected from parents of children aged 4 to 17 years. The Bangla version of the parent-rated version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to determine the behavioural and emotional disturbances of the children and adolescents. The Bangla version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to assess the depression status of parents.

Results: There were 512 participants. 21.5% of children and adolescents had emotional and behavioural problems. More boys than girls had abnormal peer relationship problems (21.1% vs 15.4%, p = 0.03). Of the parents, 16.2% had moderate depression, 5.5% moderately severe depression, and 2.9% severe depression. 8.2% and 2.9% of parents reported that it was very difficult and extremely difficult, respectively, to do work, take care of things at home, or get along with other people; the proportion was higher in mothers than fathers (χ² = 11.4, df = 3, p = 0.01). The PHQ-9 total score of parents mildly correlated with the SDQ score of children and adolescents (r = 0.51, p = 0.01). In multiple linear regression, a combination of parent sex (β = 0.08, p < 0.001), child's history of developmental/psychiatric problems (β = 0.02, p = 0.67), and the SDQ total score of children and adolescents (β = 0.52, p = 0.03) accounted for 27% of the variability in PHQ total score of parents.

Conclusion: During lockdown, the prevalence of psychiatric disorder among children and adolescents and their parents increased. The depression status of parents mildly correlated with the behavioural and emotional disturbances of children and adolescents. We recommend opening the schools as soon as the situation improves and developing interventions such as virtual mental health assessment for children and adolescents and their parents.