The Impact of COVID-19 on Neuropsychological and Emotional-Behavioural Development in a Group of 8-and 9-Year-Old Children

被引：1

作者：

Marfoli, Angelica ^{[1
]}

Speziale, Giulia ^{[1
]}

Del Prete-Ferrucci, Gaia ^{[2
]}

Cole, Harlan ^{[2
]}

De Sandi, Angelica ^{[3
]}

Mellace, Denise ^{[1
]}

Chieffo, Daniela ^{[4
,5
]}

Barbieri, Sergio ^{[3
]}

Priori, Alberto ^{[6
,7
]}

Dell'Osso, Bernardo ^{[8
]}

Pravettoni, Gabriella ^{[1
,9
]}

Ferrucci, Roberta ^{[1
,3
]}

机构：

[1] Univ Milan, Dept Oncol & Hemato Oncol, I-20122 Milan, Italy

[2] Univ Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, England

[3] Fdn IRCCS CaGranda Osped Maggiore Policlin, I-20122 Milan, Italy

[4] Univ Cattolica Sacro Cuore, Dept Woman Children & Publ Hlth, I-00168 Rome, Italy

[5] Fdn Policlin Univ A Gemelli, Clin Psychol Unit, I-00168 Rome, Italy

[6] Univ Milan, Aldo Ravelli Ctr Neurotechnol & Expt Brain Therape, Dept Hlth Sci, I-20142 Milan, Italy

[7] ASST Santi Paolo & Carlo, Neurol Unit, I-20142 Milan, Italy

[8] Univ Milan, Dept Biomed & Clin Sci, I-20157 Milan, Italy

[9] European Inst Oncol IRCCS, Appl Res Div Cognit & Psychol Sci, IEO, Milan, Italy

来源：

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE | 2024年 / 13卷 / 16期

关键词：

children; COVID-19; development; emotional-behavioural; neuropsychological; ADOLESCENTS; ATTENTION;

D O I：

10.3390/jcm13164768

中图分类号：

R5 [内科学];

学科分类号：

1002 ; 100201 ;

摘要：

Introduction: The rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the psychological well-being of millions of people around the world, and even more so among children. Contracting SARS-CoV-2, resulting in home confinement and restrictions on daily and school activities, led to negative effects on the mental health of the paediatric population. Although children suffering from COVID-19 had milder general symptoms compared to adults, impairments in cognitive, neuropsychological, and emotional-behavioural development were noted. Objective: The main aim of the present study was to detect possible changes in the neuropsychological and emotional-behavioural development of children after infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The second aim was to investigate possible relationships between cognitive abilities and psychosocial characteristics. Methods: A total of 40 patients aged 8-9 years were recruited and divided into two groups: children who contracted (CG) and did not contract (NCG) SARS-CoV-2. The BVN 5-11 (Neuropsychological evaluation battery for developmental age from 5 to 11 years) instrument was administered to assess attention, memory, verbal recall, planning, phonemics, and categorical fluency domains in the paediatric population. Data on changes in emotional-behavioural profile and daily activities were collected through a questionnaire to parents. Results: The Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed a significant change in mood after the COVID-19 period only in the CG participants (p = 0.019). However, the neuropsychological performance of the two identified groups on BVN 5-11 sub-items was below the cutoff of clinical significance. Correlations were found between sub-items of the BVN 5-11 battery, extracurricular activities, and children's psycho-motor development. Significant positive correlations were observed between Naming on visual presentation and Reading time (p = 0.006), backward digit span and time of motor activity (p = 0.009), Visual attention and Reading time (p = 0.048), and Phonemic fluency and time observed using devices (p = 0.030). Positive statistically significant correlations were also found between Mood and Free behaviour (p = 0.000), between Mood and Structured behaviour (p = 0.005), and between Mood and peer Interaction (p = 0.013). Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 infection negatively affected the emotional development of children contracting the virus. The neuropsychological functioning of the paediatric population was influenced by psychosocial variables and time spent on daily activities, which played a protective role in children's cognitive development.

引用

页数：13