The effects of social isolation and virtual learning on young children during mandated lockdown

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic mandates instituted to contain the spread of the virus may have had detrimental consequences on the mental health of those socially isolated and under home lockdown orders. Children who did not understand the crisis due to the novelty and unpredictability of the pandemic, along with the concern and stress of their parents, may present risk factors, such as anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorders (Giallonardo et al., 2020). Thus, investigating the short-term effects of the crisis and putting into perspective the consequences of social isolation and heightened experiences of stress will help to inform policymakers when dealing with ongoing and subsequent health crises. The COVID-19 global health crisis had profound effects on the educational system for all students, but especially the system’s youngest learners. School closures were one of the most visible, and also controversial, instituted precautions to stop the virus. School closures affected 1.6 billion learners worldwide, which was 91% of global student enrollment (Dreesen et al., 2020). Virtual platforms became the leading educational delivery option used to replace traditional in-person learning. This research study investigated the social limitations school closings entailed and the impact it had on preschoolers’ adaptation. Three hundred and six parents responded to the Preschool Shutdown Experience Survey, which examined the relationship between social isolation, virtual learning, traumatic stress response, and preschool adjustment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents reported that most of their children had online learning experiences during the pandemic and a majority of those children had at least half-hour learning sessions each time. When parents reported that children were more engaged in school, they tended to report that their children experienced significantly lower traumatic stress reactions and had significantly better ability to control their temper. Engagement with online schooling was not significantly correlated with regressive behaviors. When parents reported that children had more siblings at home, they tended to report that their children experienced lower traumatic stress reactions. Although pandemics are novel, quarantine may occur more frequently. The current findings suggest the importance of fostering connectedness during times of uncertainty to promote wellbeing.