Associations Between Anxiety and Home Learning Difficulties in Children and Adolescents with ADHD During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Anna Jackson; Glenn A Melvin; Melissa Mulraney; Stephen P Becker; Mark A Bellgrove; Jon Quach; Delyse Hutchinson; Elizabeth M Westrupp; Alicia Montgomery; Emma Sciberras

doi:10.1007/s10578-022-01338-3

Associations Between Anxiety and Home Learning Difficulties in Children and Adolescents with ADHD During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2023 Oct;54(5):1347-1359. doi: 10.1007/s10578-022-01338-3. Epub 2022 Mar 15.

Authors

Anna Jackson^{1

2}, Glenn A Melvin³, Melissa Mulraney^{4

5

6}, Stephen P Becker^{7

8}, Mark A Bellgrove⁹, Jon Quach^{4

10}, Delyse Hutchinson^{3

4

5

11}, Elizabeth M Westrupp^{3

12}, Alicia Montgomery^{11

13}, Emma Sciberras^{3

4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia. aljackso@deakin.edu.au.
² Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia. aljackso@deakin.edu.au.
³ Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
⁴ Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
⁵ Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
⁶ Institute for Social Neuroscience, ISN Innovations, Ivanhoe, VIC, Australia.
⁷ Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
⁸ University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
⁹ Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
¹⁰ Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
¹¹ University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia.
¹² Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia.
¹³ Department of Community Paediatrics, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has markedly impacted functioning for children and adolescents including those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We explored home learning difficulties (HLD) during COVID-19 restrictions in Australian children (aged 5-17) with ADHD, aiming to: (1) describe home learning experiences, and (2) examine associations between child anxiety (i.e., concurrent anxiety symptoms and pre-existing anxiety disorder status) and HLD. Baseline data from the longitudinal ADHD COVID-19 Survey were used (n = 122). Parents reported on school factors and HLD; pre-existing anxiety and co-occurring difficulties; anxiety, ADHD, and oppositional symptoms; demographics; and medications. Parents retrospectively reported more children often looked forward to school pre-pandemic, than during the pandemic. Anxiety symptoms, but not pre-existing anxiety disorder status, were associated with HLD after accounting for covariates. ADHD inattention symptoms were also associated with HLD. Results support recommendations to continue pre-pandemic supports to assist with ADHD symptoms during home learning, and strategies/supports for families are discussed.

Keywords: Anxiety; Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); COVID-19; Children; Home learning.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Anxiety / epidemiology
Anxiety Disorders / complications
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* / diagnosis
Australia / epidemiology
COVID-19*
Child
Humans
Pandemics
Retrospective Studies