Physical Health, Media Use, and Mental Health in Children and Adolescents With ADHD During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia

Emma Sciberras; Pooja Patel; Mark A Stokes; David Coghill; Christel M Middeldorp; Mark A Bellgrove; Stephen P Becker; Daryl Efron; Argyris Stringaris; Stephen V Faraone; Susannah T Bellows; Jon Quach; Tobias Banaschewski; Jane McGillivray; Delyse Hutchinson; Tim J Silk; Glenn Melvin; Amanda G Wood; Anna Jackson; George Loram; Lidia Engel; Alicia Montgomery; Elizabeth Westrupp

doi:10.1177/1087054720978549

Physical Health, Media Use, and Mental Health in Children and Adolescents With ADHD During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia

J Atten Disord. 2022 Feb;26(4):549-562. doi: 10.1177/1087054720978549. Epub 2020 Dec 17.

Authors

Emma Sciberras^{1

2

3}, Pooja Patel^{1

2}, Mark A Stokes¹, David Coghill^{2

3

4}, Christel M Middeldorp^{5

6}, Mark A Bellgrove⁷, Stephen P Becker^{8

9}, Daryl Efron^{2

3

4}, Argyris Stringaris¹⁰, Stephen V Faraone¹¹, Susannah T Bellows¹, Jon Quach^{2

3}, Tobias Banaschewski¹², Jane McGillivray¹, Delyse Hutchinson^{1

2

3

13}, Tim J Silk^{1

2

3}, Glenn Melvin¹, Amanda G Wood^{1

2

14}, Anna Jackson^{1

2}, George Loram¹, Lidia Engel¹, Alicia Montgomery¹⁴, Elizabeth Westrupp^{1

3

15}

Affiliations

¹ Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
² Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
³ University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
⁴ The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
⁵ Child Health Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
⁶ Child and Youth Mental Health Service, Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
⁷ Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
⁸ Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, OH, USA.
⁹ University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, OH, USA.
¹⁰ National Institute of Mental Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
¹¹ State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, USA.
¹² Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Germany.
¹³ University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia.
¹⁴ School of Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK.
¹⁵ Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia.

Abstract

Objective: To examine the impact of COVID-19 restrictions among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Methods: Parents of 213 Australian children (5-17 years) with ADHD completed a survey in May 2020 when COVID-19 restrictions were in place (i.e., requiring citizens to stay at home except for essential reasons).

Results: Compared to pre-pandemic, children had less exercise (Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.4; 95% CI 0.3-0.6), less outdoor time (OR = 0.4; 95% 0.3-0.6), and less enjoyment in activities (OR = 6.5; 95% CI 4.0-10.4), while television (OR = 4.0; 95% CI 2.5-6.5), social media (OR = 2.4; 95% CI 1.3-4.5), gaming (OR = 2.0; 95% CI 1.3-3.0), sad/depressed mood (OR = 1.8; 95% CI 1.2-2.8), and loneliness (OR = 3.6; 95% CI 2.3-5.5) were increased. Child stress about COVID-19 restrictions was associated with poorer functioning across most domains. Most parents (64%) reported positive changes for their child including more family time.

Conclusions: COVID-19 restrictions were associated with both negative and positive impacts among children with ADHD.

Keywords: ADHD; COVID-19; psychological well-being.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* / epidemiology
Australia / epidemiology
COVID-19*
Child
Humans
Mental Health
Pandemics
SARS-CoV-2