Stress-The hidden pandemic for school children and adolescents in India during COVID-19 era

The effects of coronavirus are not just physical but also psychological in all age groups and more so common among children. Some children may have had experience of quarantine restrictions during this COVID-19 pandemic. Due to increased digital connections ‘emotional contagion’ where the distress and fear experienced by one spread to another person may also be common in children. The present study aims to determine whether COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown has caused stress and affected mental health of children and youth. The current study assessed stress in children and youth between 9 and 18 years age based on Short Self-Rating Questionnaire (SSRQ) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study design was an observational study, a descriptive cross-sectional study using online survey. Total 369 schools children participated in the survey. Score Scale and analysis was done to categorize the stress levels as Low, Moderate and Severe. Data analysis based on the total score levels (Delhi+Mathura zone, n=369) showed 30.08% (n=111) students with Low stress level, 62.87% (n=232) within Moderate stress level and 7.08% (n=26) with severe stress level. Students T Test revealed that there was a significant difference (p≤0.04) of the stress level male vs. female in total (Delhi + Mathura zone combined). However, the stress level was not significantly different between Delhi and Mathura zone alone. It is utmost to give primary importance to address the stress issues in children and adoloscents in the current scenario. Inclusion of Intervention strategies that are empirically supported and culturally appropriate as per the need of the communities for children and families may be helpful. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-022-02827-3.