Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

May 14, 2021

Trajectories of Child Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Longitudinal UK Cohort

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  • [Pre-print, not peer-reviewed] Emotional and behavioral difficulties decreased at a slower rate during the COVID-19 pandemic among young children in the UK (N=708) in a longitudinal birth-cohort study. In pre-pandemic times, predicted trajectories of difficulties peaked at age 2 and declined over the rest of early childhood. During the pandemic, the rate of decline was slower in these children and resulted in significantly more difficulties present in older children. The authors note that emotional and behavioral difficulties in early childhood are associated with psychiatric disorders later in childhood and adolescence.

Paul et al. (May 13, 2021). Trajectories of Child Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Longitudinal UK Cohort. Pre-print downloaded May 14 from https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.05.11.21257040