Changes in Positive Childhood Experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVES: Changes in family life associated with COVID-19 precautions may have reduced children’s access to positive childhood experiences (PCEs). The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence of PCEs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic among school age children. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used data from the 2018-2019 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH, n=42,464) and the 2020-2021 NSCH (n=54,256) to examine the pre-pandemic period (June 2018 to January 2020) and compared results to information obtained during the early pandemic period (June 2020 through January 2022), using bivariate analyses and Z-tests. RESULTS: Positive childhood experiences declined in four of the seven PCEs measured, from 2018-2019 to 2020-2021: after school activities, community volunteerism, guiding mentor, and resilient family, with all differences significant by p<0.0001. After school activities decreased from 79.8% to 72.2%, community volunteering decreased from 43.9% to 35.1%, guiding mentor decreased from 88.8% to 86.3%, and resilient family decreased from 92.7% to 84.6%. PCEs increased for safe neighborhood (64.7% to 67.2%), supportive neighborhood (55.8% to 57.5%), and connected caregiver (65.3% to 94.7%). CONCLUSIONS: As children have experienced higher levels of parental stress and disruption during their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, policy makers and program makers must find ways to increase exposure to PCEs following the pandemic. The quantification of these PCEs is a great start, with further research needed to describe ways that schools and community organizations have found to expose children to PCEs in safe ways.