Children’s mental and behavioral health, schooling, and socioeconomic characteristics during school closure in France due to COVID‑19 : the SAPRIS project
Article [Version of Record]
Abstract(s)
COVID-19 limitation strategies have led to widespread school closures around the world. The present
study reports children’s mental health and associated factors during the COVID-19 school closure
in France in the spring of 2020. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the SAPRIS
project set up during the COVID-19 pandemic in France. Using multinomial logistic regression models,
we estimated associations between children’s mental health, children’s health behaviors, schooling,
and socioeconomic characteristics of the children’s families. The sample consisted of 5702 children
aged 8–9 years, including 50.2% girls. In multivariate logistic regression models, children’s sleeping
difculties were associated with children’s abnormal symptoms of both hyperactivity-inattention
(adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) 2.05; 95% Confdence Interval 1.70–2.47) and emotional symptoms (aOR
5.34; 95% CI 4.16–6.86). Factors specifcally associated with abnormal hyperactivity/inattention
were: male sex (aOR 2.29; 95% CI 1.90–2.76), access to specialized care prior to the pandemic and its
suspension during school closure (aOR 1.51; 95% CI 1.21–1.88), abnormal emotional symptoms (aOR
4.06; 95% CI 3.11–5.29), being unschooled or schooled with assistance before lockdown (aOR 2.13;
95% CI 1.43–3.17), and tutoring with difculties or absence of a tutor (aOR 3.25; 95% CI 2.64–3.99;
aOR 2.47; 95% CI 1.48–4.11, respectively). Factors associated with children’s emotional symptoms
were the following: being born pre-term (aOR 1.34; 95% CI 1.03–1.73), COVID-19 cases among household members (aOR 1.72; 95% CI 1.08–2.73), abnormal symptoms of hyperactivity/inattention
(aOR 4.18; 95% CI 3.27–5.34) and modest income (aOR 1.45; 95% CI 1.07–1.96; aOR 1.36; 95% CI 1.01–
1.84). Multiple characteristics were associated with elevated levels of symptoms of hyperactivityinattention and emotional symptoms in children during the period of school closure due to COVID-19.
Further studies are needed to help policymakers to balance the pros and cons of closing schools,
taking into consideration the educational and psychological consequences for children.