Windsor study finds irritability, anxiety on the rise in kids during pandemic

The newly-published study from the WE-SPARK Health Institute — a partnership between local hospitals, St. Clair College and the University of Windsor — measured the mental health impact of the pandemic on 190 families with kids aged eight to 13 in Windsor and Essex.

It found that 51 per cent of kids reported clinically significant irritability, as many as 34 per cent reported anxiety and 25 per cent reported clinically significant depression.

“There was a lot of speculation at the (start of the pandemic) that the pandemic reflected a trauma or loss because childrenwere missing out on activities,” said Dr. Lance Rappaport, lead investigator on the study.

“My goal was to shed light on and identify how is this affecting kids and what are they struggling with so we can better help them and really use that information and science to guide how we help them recover.”

Dr. Lance Rappaport, the lead investigator on a new Windsor-based study that found irritability,

anxiety and depression in kids as a result of COVID-19 pandemic stress. PHOTO BY LANCE RAPPAPORT /Windsor Star

As a clinical psychologist and assistant professor in psychology at the University of Windsor, Rappaport said they started investigating early in the pandemic to measure the effects of COVID-19 on kids’ mental health, using well-known psychological benchmarks as a starting point. The study surveyed kids, as well as their families. 

The study, titled Children’s Mental Health in Southwestern Ontario during Summer 2020 of the COVID-19 Pandemic, was published in the Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Rappaport said early speculation in the field was that the pandemic would reflect a trauma, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms would rise, like after a natural disaster.

Instead, he said, they found symptoms more consistent with chronic stress.

“We’re really seeing increases in irritability, anxiety, depression,” Rappaport said. “It seems more consistent with a really broad, chronic stress than with a specific trauma. It helps us understand that children are going to respond really differently.”

The study also looked at the impact of strong social supports on kids’ mental health, and found those kids who had a strong perception of friend and family support had less severe symptoms and less psychological distress.

These findings may not be a surprise to parents, caregivers and people who work with kids as families grappled with online learning and less in-person socialization over the last year.

To help, Rappaport said there are a variety of resources. The Canadian Mental Health Association has published a list of mental health resources and tactics for caregivers, and Rappaport said he and his team offer workshops through local school boards. Parents can also consult with their pediatrician. 

But it’s important to remember that everyone handles stress differently.

“One thing I try to share, is when you look at long lists of things you can do, I worry they might overwhelm families,” he said. “You look at the list and feel you have to try all of (the strategies). Find what works for you or for children, find what works for them. It’s a list of options.”

Courtesy: https://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/windsor-study-finds-irritability-anxiety-on-the-rise-in-kids-during-pandemic