Table 4.
Main characteristics of included studies on trauma-related symptoms in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and the association between COVID-19 and trauma-related symptoms among families.
| Authors/date of publication | Study design; Country; Date of data collection; Sample characteristics |
Main findings |
|---|---|---|
| Crescentini et al., 2020 | Not reported (but reported to be retrospective, before pandemic); Italy (Northern & central Italy); 2020, April 16–May 7; n = 721 parents and their children; Caregiver's age: M = 42.80 years (SD = 5.47); Children's age: M = 10.08 years (SD = 5.47), 6–18 years; Gender ratio: 85.71 % female, 48.4 % of children female; Parental marital status: 72.6 % married |
PTSS: 27.0 % (n = 195) of parents affected by moderate to severe PTSS; Depressive Symptoms: 8.8 % (n = 64) of parents affected by elevated depressive symptoms, 24.2 % (n = 175) of children affected by elevated depression (withdrawn/depressed); Anxiety: 12.4 % (n = 90) of parents affected by elevated anxiety, 26.4 % (n = 191) of children affected by elevated anxiety (anxious/depressed); Somatic complaints: 9.0 % (n = 65) of children affected by elevated somatic complaints |
| Cusinato et al., 2020 | Not reported; Italy; 2020, April 25–May 8; n = 463 parents and their children; Caregiver's age: M = 43.3 years (SD = 5.88); Children's age: M = 9.72 years (SD = 3.29), 5–17 years; Gender ratio: 90.5 % female, 43.8 % of children female; Parental marital status: 87.7 % in nuclear family |
No prevalence rates reported; Well-being caregivers: Mothers significantly lower average scores in total score (p < .001), anxiety (p < .001), and self-control (p < .001) compared to pre-pandemic normative population; Well-being children: No significant differences in terms of well-being between children (6–10 years) compared to pre-pandemic normative population, but there might be higher hyperactivity levels (p = .036) |
| Davico et al., 2021 | Cross-sectional; Italy; 2020, March 20–26; n = 786 children and their parents; Caregiver's age: not reported; Children's age: M = 12.3 years (SD = 3.29); Gender ratio: 49.9 % of children female; Parental marital status: not reported |
PTSS: 30.9 % of the children at high risk for PTSD; PTSS scores among children were related to their parents' PTSS scores (p < .001) |
| Romero et al., 2020 | Cross-sectional; Spain; 2020, April 8–27; n = 1049 caregivers and their children; Caregiver's age: not reported; Children's age: M = 7.29 years (SD = 2.39), 3–12 years; Gender ratio: 89.6 % mothers, 50.4 % of children female; Parental marital status: not reported |
No prevalence rates reported regarding caregivers; Negative child behavior: >55 % of children did not show a relevant change in problematic behaviors, 30–40 % displayed an increase in conduct problems, emotional problems, and hyperactivity |
| Yue et al., 2020 | Not reported; China (Jiangsu province; classified as one of the non-severely impacted areas); 2020, February 13–29; n = 1360 children and their parent; Caregiver's age: M = 37.78 years (SD = 4.99); Children's age: M = 10.56 years (SD = 1.79), 3–12 years; Gender ratio: 41.03 % mothers, 46.03 % of children female; Parental marital status: not reported |
PTSS: 3.53 % of parents with high risk for PTSD, 3.16 % of children with high risk for PTSD; Depressive symptoms: 22.79 % of parents mildly depressed, 3.60 % of parents moderately depressed, 0.01 % of parents severely depressed; 2.22 % of children depressed; Anxiety symptoms: 4.41 % of parents (mild anxiety), 1.18 % of parents (moderate anxiety); 5.66 % of children (mild anxiety) and 1.84 % of children (moderate anxiety) |
Note. M = mean; SD = standard deviation; p = p-value; n = sample size; PTSD = post-traumatic stress disorder; PTSS = post-traumatic stress symptoms; GAD = generalized anxiety disorder.