eprintid: 10116535 rev_number: 23 eprint_status: archive userid: 608 dir: disk0/10/11/65/35 datestamp: 2020-12-04 11:50:09 lastmod: 2021-11-18 07:10:26 status_changed: 2020-12-04 11:50:09 type: article metadata_visibility: show creators_name: Tso, WWY creators_name: Wong, RS creators_name: Tung, KTS creators_name: Rao, N creators_name: Fu, KW creators_name: Yam, JCS creators_name: Chua, GT creators_name: Chen, EYH creators_name: Lee, TMC creators_name: Chan, SKW creators_name: Wong, WHS creators_name: Xiong, X creators_name: Chui, CS creators_name: Li, X creators_name: Wong, K creators_name: Leung, C creators_name: Tsang, SKM creators_name: Chan, GCF creators_name: Tam, PKH creators_name: Chan, KL creators_name: Kwan, MYW creators_name: Ho, MHK creators_name: Chow, CB creators_name: Wong, ICK creators_name: Lp, P title: Vulnerability and resilience in children during the COVID-19 pandemic ispublished: inpress divisions: UCL divisions: B02 divisions: C08 divisions: D10 divisions: G11 keywords: COVID-19, Child psychosocial problems, Coronavirus, Home confinement, School closure note: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. abstract: BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is having a profound impact on the health and development of children worldwide. There is limited evidence on the impact of COVID-19 and its related school closures and disease-containment measures on the psychosocial wellbeing of children; little research has been done on the characteristics of vulnerable groups and factors that promote resilience. METHODS: We conducted a large-scale cross-sectional population study of Hong Kong families with children aged 2-12 years. Parents completed an online survey on family demographics, child psychosocial wellbeing, functioning and lifestyle habits, parent-child interactions, and parental stress during school closures due to COVID-19. We used simple and multiple linear regression analyses to explore factors associated with child psychosocial problems and parental stress during the pandemic. RESULTS: The study included 29,202 individual families; of which 12,163 had children aged 2-5 years and 17,029 had children aged 6-12 years. The risk of child psychosocial problems was higher in children with special educational needs, and/or acute or chronic disease, mothers with mental illness, single-parent families, and low-income families. Delayed bedtime and/or inadequate sleep or exercise duration, extended use of electronic devices were associated with significantly higher parental stress and more psychosocial problems among pre-schoolers. CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies vulnerable groups of children and highlights the importance of strengthening family coherence, adequate sleep and exercise, and responsible use of electronic devices in promoting psychosocial wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. date: 2020-11-17 date_type: published official_url: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-020-01680-8 oa_status: green full_text_type: other pmcid: PMC7671186 language: eng primo: open primo_central: open_green verified: verified_manual elements_id: 1829995 doi: 10.1007/s00787-020-01680-8 pii: 10.1007/s00787-020-01680-8 lyricists_name: Wong, Ian lyricists_name: Wong, Kirstie lyricists_id: ICKWO00 lyricists_id: KKWON53 actors_name: Stacey, Thomas actors_id: TSSTA20 actors_role: owner full_text_status: public publication: European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry event_location: Germany citation: Tso, WWY; Wong, RS; Tung, KTS; Rao, N; Fu, KW; Yam, JCS; Chua, GT; ... Lp, P; + view all <#> Tso, WWY; Wong, RS; Tung, KTS; Rao, N; Fu, KW; Yam, JCS; Chua, GT; Chen, EYH; Lee, TMC; Chan, SKW; Wong, WHS; Xiong, X; Chui, CS; Li, X; Wong, K; Leung, C; Tsang, SKM; Chan, GCF; Tam, PKH; Chan, KL; Kwan, MYW; Ho, MHK; Chow, CB; Wong, ICK; Lp, P; - view fewer <#> (2020) Vulnerability and resilience in children during the COVID-19 pandemic. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 10.1007/s00787-020-01680-8 <https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-020-01680-8>. (In press). Green open access document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10116535/3/Wong_v30_ECAP_Manuscript_vulnerability%20and%20resilience.pdf