Psychological and Behavioral Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children and Adolescents in Turkey

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the physical, psychological, and behavioral alteration in children in the age range between 3 and 18 years before and during the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of parental perception. In this study, the survey model was used as a quantitative research method. A snowball sampling method was used, and 841 mothers participated. Descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, related samples t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and stepwise regression analysis were used to analyze the data. It was found that the physical, psychological, and behavioral negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic varied depending on the developmental stages of the children. Compared to the pre-pandemic period, an increase in children’s screen time, as well as a decrease in their physical activity time, was observed during the pandemic. In addition, it was found that screen time, physical activity time, and the square meters of the house are among the significant predictors of mood, behavioral changes, and nutritional problems in children. In terms of anxiety symptoms, physical activity time and screen time were found to be significant predictors. In addition, screen time, age, and physical activity time were observed to be significant predictors of cognitive change symptoms.