Back to school and COVID: psychological consequences in children

The waves of coronavirus infections have not yet stopped and are making their effects felt in many aspects of society, not only materially and economically, but also psychologically.

Bearing this in mind, it is normal for there to be some concern about the implications of the crisis of COVID-19 for the most psychologically vulnerable social groups, including children and girls

Therefore, in this article we are going to focus on the consequences of the situation back to school during the pandemic crisis, and the way in which these affect the little ones emotionally of the house.

• Related article: "The 6 stages of childhood (physical and mental development)"

Why are the little ones psychologically vulnerable to the pandemic crisis?

Childhood is, in most cases, the stage of life in which we are most vulnerable psychologically: what happens around us greatly influences our emotional, cognitive and behavioral development, for the good and for the bad.

It makes sense that this should be like this: in our first years of life we ​​are constantly adapting to all kinds of novel situations

that life presents us, before which we have much less knowledge and references than when we are adults and we already have so much with a fully developed and mature brain as well as with a range of practical and theoretical knowledge about how the world works.

That is why while we retain the ability to learn and adjust our minds to challenges that we have never encountered before, during childhood the mind Human is especially flexible and inclined to integrate experiences quickly, at the price of not always doing it in the most systematic and appropriate way for our own wellness.

After all, if learning about what happens around us during childhood is already a task that requires effort, learning to deal with emotions that do so. it produces us and with the dysfunctional behavior patterns that certain experiences can generate, it is even more complicated, especially if there is no help.

Knowing this, It is not surprising that the coronavirus crisis has affected not only many children, but also their families.. Now, with the prospect of the start of a new year, another experience that the little ones had not faced before: a first few weeks in those in which certain class work dynamics will have changed, and in which there is still a certain level of fear and uncertainty about what will happen in these classes months.

• You may be interested in: "The 8 types of family conflicts and how to manage them"

Main consequences of going back to school in times of coronavirus

These are the main aspects in which going back to school in the context of the pandemic can affect children. They do not have to affect everyone (in fact, the little ones in whom almost all these forms of discomfort occur will be, probably a clear minority, and many will not express any of them) but they must be taken into account when ensuring that your well being.

1. Vulnerability to family anxiety

Children are vulnerable to anxiety when it is present in their day-to-day lives in the people with whom they live. For example, it is known that minors with fathers and mothers with Generalized anxiety disorder they are more likely to develop stress and distress problems.

That is why in families in which going back to school is a source of discomfort due to of the progression of virus infections (that is, due to the idea of ​​the risk of introducing the virus into home), a climate of unrest can be created in which everyone suffers, and in which a vicious circle is generated: the discomfort of others makes us feel worse, and vice versa.

2. Feelings of guilt

Having seen all the problems that the first wave of contagion produced, and having returned for many hours without parental supervision after several months of having their protection, it is likely that many minors feel overwhelmed with the responsibility of minimizing the risk of contagion. This phenomenon can occur especially in children who live with people who belong to a risk group: the elderly, people with respiratory diseases, etc.

For example, this can lead children to try to take precautions to an unhealthy point that produces more problems than it saves. Y as it is impossible not to neglect at any time, the feelings of guilt appear, assuming an added challenge that you have to know how to manage emotionally. After all, it will take several days until it is known for sure that that moment in which the little one put his hand to his mouth did not translate into subsequent infections.

3. Demotivation and stress due to uncertainty

It is no secret that there is clear uncertainty about what will happen during the first months of the course, both at a social level and in the organization of the educational system.

The fact of not being able to draw clear plans to organize knowing that the course will run as you can always do that many children are demotivated and take these weeks of class as time wasted, in which it will not be possible to finish syllabi or consolidate knowledge because at any moment the schools will be closed and it will be improvised about how the lessons will continue. Most have already gone through the experience of distance classes during the end of the course above, in which the lack of preparation of the educational system for this kind of scenarios.

On the other hand, this lack of clear information about what will happen is capable of leading many children to a situation of blockage in which doubts accumulate to the point of not knowing what to do and suffering stress. The prospect of seeing classes interrupted and subjected to a way of studying marked by improvisation takes them away from references. For example, do you have to make an effort to prepare for the oral presentation in front of the whole class, if it may not be possible in the end? If yes, is it bad to make it intended to be seen by many people, and not just by the teacher? Will I be able to have the Physical Education grade at the end of the term? Etc.

4. Doubts about how to relate to others

Predictably, many children will feel more fear than the rest at the idea of ​​being infected by being around others. This, taking into account that boys and girls tend to touch each other more than adults, is relevant, because Trying to avoid these kinds of interactions can lead to many being excluded from the dynamics of the game., or they experience rejection.

To do?

Faced with these types of risks and problems, these are some tips to keep in mind.

1. Help the little ones realize that school is more than what happens in class

The educational process is not limited to attendance at the educational center, and that does not change even if classes are held by videoconference.

2. Give support to possible conflicts or problems when socializing

Listen to their problems and give them the opportunity to express themselves without being prejudged allows finding solutions with the participation of teachers and other parents.

3. Help him build his new habits

Given the need to adapt to the new scenario, it is good to help the little ones when generating this dynamic of habits, either making it easy for them to learn and memorize those routines or when making time modifications if it were necessary.

4. Help him question his fears

Feelings of fear and guilt rely on dysfunctional beliefs. Through conversations, children can be helped to see how these beliefs are shaken by contrasting them with reality.

5. If necessary, go to therapy

Family therapy and child and adolescent therapy can be the solution in cases of significant and persistent discomfort.

Are you looking for psychological assistance and psychotherapy services?

If you believe that the problems arising in the context of the coronavirus pandemic negatively affect you and / or your family, please contact us. On Cribecca Psychology We offer both child and adolescent psychotherapy and for adults as well as family therapy and counseling for parents, among other services. You can find us in our center located in Seville, or through the modality of online therapy by video call. On this page you will find our contact information.

Bibliographic references:

• Aktar, E.; Nikolić, N. & Bögels, S.M. (2017). Environmental transmission of generalized anxiety disorder from parents to children: worries, experiential avoidance, and intolerance of uncertainty. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 19 (2): pp. 137 - 147.
• Grupe, D.W. & Nitschke, J.B. (2013). Uncertainty and Anticipation in Anxiety. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 14 (7): pp. 488 - 501.
• Osmanağaoğlu, N.; Creswell, C.; Dodd, H.F. (2018). Intolerance of Uncertainty, anxiety, and worry in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 225: pp. 80 - 90.