The researchers sum up that the quality of life of children has deteriorated further in the Corona crisis. Children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and with a migration background are particularly affected. Photo: Dorothée Barth / dpa
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(Photo: dpa)
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Worries and fears have increased again, and depressive symptoms and psychosomatic complaints such as headaches or abdominal pain are increasingly observed, said the head of the study, Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer. Before the corona crisis, according to the study, only two out of ten children were at risk of psychological problems.
The quality of life has continued to deteriorate. Children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and with a migration background are particularly affected. The mental stresses and needs of families and children should be given greater consideration during the pandemic, emphasized Ravens-Sieberer.
According to the information, the Copsy study is the first of its kind in Germany. From mid-December to mid-January, more than 1,000 children and young people and more than 1,600 parents took part using an online questionnaire. More than 80 percent of those questioned had already given answers to the first survey in June last year. This involved children and young people between the ages of 7 and 17. In order to find out how the values have changed, the UKE researchers also compared them with data from nationwide studies collected before the corona crisis.
Compared to the first survey, the numbers have increased: According to the study, 85 percent of the children surveyed feel stressed in the Corona crisis. In June, only 71 percent felt emotional stress. Seven out of ten children perceive their quality of life to be reduced, at the first survey it was six out of ten children – and before the pandemic three out of ten. According to the study, fears and worries have once again increased significantly.
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An additional problem: the diet is less healthy and the consumption of sweets has increased, the researcher reported. Many children would no longer do sports. “Media consumption has increased.” Of course, that also has something to do with online lessons. The students would now find homeschooling to be much more strenuous than in early summer. Children and young people would also report more arguments with their parents. “The families go to great lengths to get everything under one roof,” said Ravens-Sieberer, referring to homeschooling and workload. “But the parents are at the limit.” They urgently need a perspective and support.
She did not want to “over-dramatize” the results of the second survey, stressed the scientist. “Because not every mental abnormality becomes a mental disorder. But we have to take them very seriously. ” Even if school is currently only possible to a limited extent, it must be ensured that it is not just about learning success, but that contact with the children is maintained. You need encouragement and motivation.
The UKE presented another study that looked at the abuse and neglect of children. The months of March and April 2020 were examined. During this period, German clinics registered significantly fewer cases of child welfare risks than in the same period of the previous year. Scientists are therefore assuming an increased number of unreported cases.
“In times of social isolation, children have fewer opportunities to send help signals,” said Jo Ewert, child protection coordinator at the UKE’s clinic and polyclinic for pediatric medicine. 159 child protection groups and outpatient clinics took part in this study. The outpatient departments noticed a decrease of 15 percent, in the inpatient area it was 20 percent according to the study.
Information on the COPSY study
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