Parent and child mental health trajectories April 2020 to May 2021: Strict lockdown versus no lockdown in Australia

Elizabeth M Westrupp; Christopher J Greenwood; Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz; Craig A Olsson; Emma Sciberras; Antonina Mikocka-Walus; Glenn A Melvin; Subhadra Evans; Mark A Stokes; Amanda G Wood; Gery C Karantzas; Jacqui A Macdonald; John W Toumbourou; Samantha J Teague; Julian W Fernando; Tomer S Berkowitz; Mathew Ling; George J Youssef

doi:10.1177/00048674211065365

Parent and child mental health trajectories April 2020 to May 2021: Strict lockdown versus no lockdown in Australia

Elizabeth M Westrupp
, Christopher J Greenwood
, Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz
, Craig A Olsson
, Emma Sciberras
, Antonina Mikocka-Walus
, Glenn A Melvin
, Subhadra Evans
, Mark A Stokes
, Amanda G Wood
, Gery C Karantzas
, Jacqui A Macdonald
, John W Toumbourou
, Samantha J Teague
, Julian W Fernando
, Tomer S Berkowitz
, Mathew Ling
, George J Youssef

School of Psychology

School of Psychology Deakin University Geelong Australia,Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia,Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Burwood, VIC, Australia
School of Psychology Deakin University Geelong Australia,Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia,Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
School of Psychology Deakin University Geelong Australia,Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia
School of Psychology Deakin University Geelong Australia,Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia,Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal and Research, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
School of Psychology Deakin University Geelong Australia,Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia,Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

28 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objective: To control a second-wave COVID-19 outbreak, the state of Victoria in Australia experienced one of the world’s first long and strict lockdowns over July–October 2020, while the rest of Australia experienced ‘COVID-normal’ with minimal restrictions. We (1) investigate trajectories of parent/child mental health outcomes in Victoria vs non-Victoria and (2) identify baseline demographic, individual and COVID-19-related factors associated with mental health trajectories. Methods: Online community sample of 2004 Australian parents with rapid repeated assessment over 14 time-points over April 2020 to May 2021. Measures assessed parent mental health (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales-21), child depression symptoms (13-item Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire) and child anxiety symptoms (four items from Brief Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale). Results: Mental health trajectories shadowed COVID-19 infection rates. Victorians reported a peak in mental health symptoms at the time of the second-wave lockdown compared to other states. Key baseline predictors, including parent and child loneliness (standardized regression coefficient [β] = 0.09–0.46), parent/child diagnoses (β = 0.07–0.21), couple conflict (β = 0.07–0.18) and COVID-19 stressors, such as worry/concern about COVID-19, illness and loss of job (β = 0.12–0.15), predicted elevated trajectories. Effects of predictors on parent and child mental health trajectories are illustrated in an online interactive app for readers ( https://lingtax.shinyapps.io/CPAS_trend/ ). Conclusion: Our findings provide evidence of worse trajectories of parent and child mental health symptoms at a time coinciding with a second COVID-19 outbreak involving strict lockdown in Victoria, compared to non-locked states in Australia. We identified several baseline factors that may be useful in detecting high-risk families who are likely to require additional support early on in future lockdowns.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1491 - 1502
Journal	Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
Volume	56
Issue number	11
Early online date	21 Dec 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/00048674211065365
Publication status	Published - 1 Nov 2022

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

COVID-19 pandemic
child mental health
couple conflict
mental health
parenting

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10.1177/00048674211065365

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Westrupp, E. M., Greenwood, C. J., Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, M., Olsson, C. A., Sciberras, E., Mikocka-Walus, A., Melvin, G. A., Evans, S., Stokes, M. A., Wood, A. G., Karantzas, G. C., Macdonald, J. A., Toumbourou, J. W., Teague, S. J., Fernando, J. W., Berkowitz, T. S., Ling, M., & Youssef, G. J. (2022). Parent and child mental health trajectories April 2020 to May 2021: Strict lockdown versus no lockdown in Australia. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 56(11), 1491 - 1502. https://doi.org/10.1177/00048674211065365

@article{b074f9dcef194252b5de1670680eec08,

title = "Parent and child mental health trajectories April 2020 to May 2021: Strict lockdown versus no lockdown in Australia",

abstract = "Objective: To control a second-wave COVID-19 outbreak, the state of Victoria in Australia experienced one of the world{\textquoteright}s first long and strict lockdowns over July–October 2020, while the rest of Australia experienced {\textquoteleft}COVID-normal{\textquoteright} with minimal restrictions. We (1) investigate trajectories of parent/child mental health outcomes in Victoria vs non-Victoria and (2) identify baseline demographic, individual and COVID-19-related factors associated with mental health trajectories. Methods: Online community sample of 2004 Australian parents with rapid repeated assessment over 14 time-points over April 2020 to May 2021. Measures assessed parent mental health (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales-21), child depression symptoms (13-item Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire) and child anxiety symptoms (four items from Brief Spence Children{\textquoteright}s Anxiety Scale). Results: Mental health trajectories shadowed COVID-19 infection rates. Victorians reported a peak in mental health symptoms at the time of the second-wave lockdown compared to other states. Key baseline predictors, including parent and child loneliness (standardized regression coefficient [β] = 0.09–0.46), parent/child diagnoses (β = 0.07–0.21), couple conflict (β = 0.07–0.18) and COVID-19 stressors, such as worry/concern about COVID-19, illness and loss of job (β = 0.12–0.15), predicted elevated trajectories. Effects of predictors on parent and child mental health trajectories are illustrated in an online interactive app for readers ( https://lingtax.shinyapps.io/CPAS\_trend/ ). Conclusion: Our findings provide evidence of worse trajectories of parent and child mental health symptoms at a time coinciding with a second COVID-19 outbreak involving strict lockdown in Victoria, compared to non-locked states in Australia. We identified several baseline factors that may be useful in detecting high-risk families who are likely to require additional support early on in future lockdowns.",

keywords = "COVID-19 pandemic, child mental health, couple conflict, mental health, parenting",

author = "Westrupp, \{Elizabeth M\} and Greenwood, \{Christopher J\} and Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz and Olsson, \{Craig A\} and Emma Sciberras and Antonina Mikocka-Walus and Melvin, \{Glenn A\} and Subhadra Evans and Stokes, \{Mark A\} and Wood, \{Amanda G\} and Karantzas, \{Gery C\} and Macdonald, \{Jacqui A\} and Toumbourou, \{John W\} and Teague, \{Samantha J\} and Fernando, \{Julian W\} and Berkowitz, \{Tomer S\} and Mathew Ling and Youssef, \{George J\}",

year = "2022",

month = nov,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1177/00048674211065365",

language = "English",

volume = "56",

pages = "1491 -- 1502",

journal = "Australian \& New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry",

issn = "0004-8674",

publisher = "SAGE",

number = "11",

}

Westrupp, EM, Greenwood, CJ, Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, M, Olsson, CA, Sciberras, E, Mikocka-Walus, A, Melvin, GA, Evans, S, Stokes, MA, Wood, AG, Karantzas, GC, Macdonald, JA, Toumbourou, JW, Teague, SJ, Fernando, JW, Berkowitz, TS, Ling, M & Youssef, GJ 2022, 'Parent and child mental health trajectories April 2020 to May 2021: Strict lockdown versus no lockdown in Australia', Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 56, no. 11, pp. 1491 - 1502. https://doi.org/10.1177/00048674211065365

TY - JOUR

T1 - Parent and child mental health trajectories April 2020 to May 2021: Strict lockdown versus no lockdown in Australia

AU - Westrupp, Elizabeth M

AU - Greenwood, Christopher J

AU - Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Matthew

AU - Olsson, Craig A

AU - Sciberras, Emma

AU - Mikocka-Walus, Antonina

AU - Melvin, Glenn A

AU - Evans, Subhadra

AU - Stokes, Mark A

AU - Wood, Amanda G

AU - Karantzas, Gery C

AU - Macdonald, Jacqui A

AU - Toumbourou, John W

AU - Teague, Samantha J

AU - Fernando, Julian W

AU - Berkowitz, Tomer S

AU - Ling, Mathew

AU - Youssef, George J

PY - 2022/11/1

Y1 - 2022/11/1

N2 - Objective: To control a second-wave COVID-19 outbreak, the state of Victoria in Australia experienced one of the world’s first long and strict lockdowns over July–October 2020, while the rest of Australia experienced ‘COVID-normal’ with minimal restrictions. We (1) investigate trajectories of parent/child mental health outcomes in Victoria vs non-Victoria and (2) identify baseline demographic, individual and COVID-19-related factors associated with mental health trajectories. Methods: Online community sample of 2004 Australian parents with rapid repeated assessment over 14 time-points over April 2020 to May 2021. Measures assessed parent mental health (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales-21), child depression symptoms (13-item Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire) and child anxiety symptoms (four items from Brief Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale). Results: Mental health trajectories shadowed COVID-19 infection rates. Victorians reported a peak in mental health symptoms at the time of the second-wave lockdown compared to other states. Key baseline predictors, including parent and child loneliness (standardized regression coefficient [β] = 0.09–0.46), parent/child diagnoses (β = 0.07–0.21), couple conflict (β = 0.07–0.18) and COVID-19 stressors, such as worry/concern about COVID-19, illness and loss of job (β = 0.12–0.15), predicted elevated trajectories. Effects of predictors on parent and child mental health trajectories are illustrated in an online interactive app for readers ( https://lingtax.shinyapps.io/CPAS_trend/ ). Conclusion: Our findings provide evidence of worse trajectories of parent and child mental health symptoms at a time coinciding with a second COVID-19 outbreak involving strict lockdown in Victoria, compared to non-locked states in Australia. We identified several baseline factors that may be useful in detecting high-risk families who are likely to require additional support early on in future lockdowns.

AB - Objective: To control a second-wave COVID-19 outbreak, the state of Victoria in Australia experienced one of the world’s first long and strict lockdowns over July–October 2020, while the rest of Australia experienced ‘COVID-normal’ with minimal restrictions. We (1) investigate trajectories of parent/child mental health outcomes in Victoria vs non-Victoria and (2) identify baseline demographic, individual and COVID-19-related factors associated with mental health trajectories. Methods: Online community sample of 2004 Australian parents with rapid repeated assessment over 14 time-points over April 2020 to May 2021. Measures assessed parent mental health (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales-21), child depression symptoms (13-item Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire) and child anxiety symptoms (four items from Brief Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale). Results: Mental health trajectories shadowed COVID-19 infection rates. Victorians reported a peak in mental health symptoms at the time of the second-wave lockdown compared to other states. Key baseline predictors, including parent and child loneliness (standardized regression coefficient [β] = 0.09–0.46), parent/child diagnoses (β = 0.07–0.21), couple conflict (β = 0.07–0.18) and COVID-19 stressors, such as worry/concern about COVID-19, illness and loss of job (β = 0.12–0.15), predicted elevated trajectories. Effects of predictors on parent and child mental health trajectories are illustrated in an online interactive app for readers ( https://lingtax.shinyapps.io/CPAS_trend/ ). Conclusion: Our findings provide evidence of worse trajectories of parent and child mental health symptoms at a time coinciding with a second COVID-19 outbreak involving strict lockdown in Victoria, compared to non-locked states in Australia. We identified several baseline factors that may be useful in detecting high-risk families who are likely to require additional support early on in future lockdowns.

KW - COVID-19 pandemic

KW - child mental health

KW - couple conflict

KW - mental health

KW - parenting

UR - https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00048674211065365

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85122133662

U2 - 10.1177/00048674211065365

DO - 10.1177/00048674211065365

M3 - Article

SN - 0004-8674

VL - 56

SP - 1491

EP - 1502

JO - Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry

JF - Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry

IS - 11

ER -

Parent and child mental health trajectories April 2020 to May 2021: Strict lockdown versus no lockdown in Australia

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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