Stress Dynamics in Families with Children with Neuropsychiatric Disorders during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Three-Year Longitudinal Assessment

Gruescu, Ada Claudia Silvana; Popoiu, Calin; Levai, Mihaela Codrina; Burtic, Sonia Roxana; Sanda, Isabella Ionela; Neda-Stepan, Oana; Rosca, Ovidiu; Fericean, Roxana Manuela; Dumitru, Catalin; Stelea, Lavinia

doi:10.3390/jcm12227170

Open AccessArticle

Stress Dynamics in Families with Children with Neuropsychiatric Disorders during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Three-Year Longitudinal Assessment

by

Ada Claudia Silvana Gruescu

^1,2,

Calin Popoiu

¹,

Mihaela Codrina Levai

³,

Sonia Roxana Burtic

^2,3,

Isabella Ionela Sanda

²,

Oana Neda-Stepan

^2,4,

Ovidiu Rosca

^5,*

,

Roxana Manuela Fericean

^2,5

,

Catalin Dumitru

⁶ and

Lavinia Stelea

⁶

¹

Department of Pediatrics, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania

²

Doctoral School, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania

³

Research Center for Medical Communication, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania

⁴

Department VIII—Neurosciences, Discipline of Psychiatry, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania

⁵

Department of Infectious Diseases, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania

⁶

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(22), 7170; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12227170

Submission received: 13 October 2023 / Revised: 14 November 2023 / Accepted: 17 November 2023 / Published: 18 November 2023

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Global Burden and New Trends in Emotional, Behavioral and Relational Problems of Children, Adolescents and Young Adults)

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Abstract

Background and Objectives: This study explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on families with children diagnosed with neuropsychiatric disorders, focusing on stress dynamics and quality of life. Materials and Methods: A longitudinal survey was conducted over three years (2020–2022) involving 168 families. The survey included data on demographics, diagnosed conditions, access to therapies, mental well-being, and perceived challenges. Results: The study involved 62, 51, and 55 families in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively. ADHD emerged as the most prevalent condition, diagnosed in approximately 32% of the children. The pandemic significantly affected therapy access, with parents reporting a decrease from an average score of 8.1 in 2020 to 6.5 in 2022 (p = 0.029). Parents also reported increased feelings of being overwhelmed, peaking at 8.0 in 2021 before declining to 6.3 in 2022 (p = 0.017). Despite these challenges, there was a positive trend in family mental well-being, with scores increasing from 5.1 in 2020 to 6.7 in 2022 (p = 0.031). The Parental Stress Index (PSI) indicated decreasing trends in Emotional Stress and Parent–Child Communication Difficulties (p < 0.001), and Behavioral Challenges in children showed a significant reduction across the years (p < 0.001). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) reflected a moderate reduction in anxiety levels from 7.6 in 2020 to 6.0 in 2022 (p = 0.038), although depression scores did not show a significant change. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic introduced notable challenges for families with neuropsychiatrically diagnosed children, particularly in therapy access and increased parental stress. However, the study also reveals a general improvement in family dynamics, mental well-being, and a decrease in behavioral challenges over time. The necessity of this study stems from the critical need to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on families with neuropsychiatrically diagnosed children, focusing on their resilience and adaptation in navigating therapy access, parental stress, and overall mental well-being.

Keywords: COVID-19; child neurology; pandemic; parental stress

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MDPI and ACS Style

Gruescu, A.C.S.; Popoiu, C.; Levai, M.C.; Burtic, S.R.; Sanda, I.I.; Neda-Stepan, O.; Rosca, O.; Fericean, R.M.; Dumitru, C.; Stelea, L. Stress Dynamics in Families with Children with Neuropsychiatric Disorders during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Three-Year Longitudinal Assessment. J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12, 7170. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12227170

AMA Style

Gruescu ACS, Popoiu C, Levai MC, Burtic SR, Sanda II, Neda-Stepan O, Rosca O, Fericean RM, Dumitru C, Stelea L. Stress Dynamics in Families with Children with Neuropsychiatric Disorders during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Three-Year Longitudinal Assessment. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2023; 12(22):7170. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12227170

Chicago/Turabian Style

Gruescu, Ada Claudia Silvana, Calin Popoiu, Mihaela Codrina Levai, Sonia Roxana Burtic, Isabella Ionela Sanda, Oana Neda-Stepan, Ovidiu Rosca, Roxana Manuela Fericean, Catalin Dumitru, and Lavinia Stelea. 2023. "Stress Dynamics in Families with Children with Neuropsychiatric Disorders during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Three-Year Longitudinal Assessment" Journal of Clinical Medicine 12, no. 22: 7170. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12227170

APA Style

Gruescu, A. C. S., Popoiu, C., Levai, M. C., Burtic, S. R., Sanda, I. I., Neda-Stepan, O., Rosca, O., Fericean, R. M., Dumitru, C., & Stelea, L. (2023). Stress Dynamics in Families with Children with Neuropsychiatric Disorders during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Three-Year Longitudinal Assessment. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(22), 7170. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12227170

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Stress Dynamics in Families with Children with Neuropsychiatric Disorders during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Three-Year Longitudinal Assessment

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