The relationship between online courses and mental health among Chinese children

Shuang Zhou; Chu-Yao Jin; Jing Guo; Zheng Liu; Qiang Feng; Jia Wang; Xiang-Rong Xu; Shi Wang; Zhong-Shang Wan; Carsten Obel; Hui Liu; Hai-Jun Wang

doi:10.1186/s12888-022-03976-2

The relationship between online courses and mental health among Chinese children

BMC Psychiatry. 2022 May 10;22(1):328. doi: 10.1186/s12888-022-03976-2.

Authors

Shuang Zhou¹, Chu-Yao Jin¹, Jing Guo², Zheng Liu¹, Qiang Feng^{1

3}, Jia Wang⁴, Xiang-Rong Xu⁴, Shi Wang¹, Zhong-Shang Wan¹, Carsten Obel⁵, Hui Liu⁶, Hai-Jun Wang⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, No.38 Xueyuan Rd, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China.
² Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
³ General Administration of Sport of China, Beijing, China.
⁴ School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
⁵ Research Unit for Mental Public Health, Institute of Public Health, Aarhus University Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark.
⁶ Medical Informatics Center, Peking University, No.38 Xueyuan Rd, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China. ymauil@bjmu.edu.cn.
⁷ Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, No.38 Xueyuan Rd, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China. whjun@pku.edu.cn.

Abstract

Background: Previous studies on the association of online courses and mental health were mainly conducted in universities, and no study investigated the relationship between characteristics of online courses and children's mental health in primary and secondary school. This study aimed to explore the association of online courses and children's mental health in primary and secondary school.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted through an online survey among 540 primary and secondary school students and their parents in the eastern, central and western region of China from April to May in 2020. Children's mental health was assessed by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Borderline mental health problems (SDQ total difficulties score ≥ 16) and mental health problems (SDQ total difficulties score ≥ 20) were defined according to Goodman's standard. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were used to examine the association between online courses and children's mental health.

Results: Compared with those who did not have problems of online courses, children having the difficulty in understanding the content of online courses had a higher SDQ total difficulties score [β = 1.80, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.89, 2.71] and a higher risk of borderline mental health problems [odds ratio (OR) = 1.93, 95%CI: 1.07, 3.49], while device or internet connection problems were not significantly associated with children's mental health. Compared with children who had live courses, those having video-recorded courses had a higher SDQ total difficulties score (β = 0.90, 95%CI: 0.01, 1.80). Children who spent more than 4 h on online courses had a higher SDQ total difficulties score than those of less than or equal to 4 h (β = 0.95, 95%CI: 0.09, 1.81).

Conclusion: We found that online courses with inappropriate characteristics were associated with children's mental health. The findings called for the efforts to optimize the online courses and improve children's mental health.

Keywords: Children; Mental health; Online course.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Child
China
Cross-Sectional Studies
Humans
Mental Disorders*
Mental Health*
Parents / psychology
Surveys and Questionnaires