Wellbeing, coping with homeschooling, and leisure behavior at different COVID‐19‐related lockdowns: A longitudinal study in 9‐ to 16‐year‐old German children

BACKGROUND: School closures are an effective measure against the spread of Covid‐19. However, they pose a major challenge to children, especially to those from socially disadvantaged families. The present study compared the wellbeing, coping with homeschooling, and leisure behavior of children and adolescents at two different periods of school closures in Germany. Wellbeing was also compared with wellbeing before the pandemic. METHODS: Within the framework of the cohort study LIFE Child, 152 9‐ to 16‐year‐old children completed online surveys on wellbeing (KIDSCREEN‐27 scales on physical wellbeing, psychological wellbeing, and peer and social support), coping with homeschooling (concentration, motivation, fun, mastering of schoolwork, fear of bad marks), and leisure behavior (TV time, computer gaming time, indoor physical activity) during two COVID‐19‐related lockdowns in March 2020 (t1) and in January 2021 (t2). Data from both time points were compared using mixed‐effect models. Wellbeing was additionally compared with the wellbeing in 2019, before COVID‐19 (t0). We also assessed the effects of the socio‐economic status (SES) on all outcomes and changes between time points. RESULTS: All considered wellbeing scores declined significantly between t0 and t1. Physical wellbeing decreased further between t1 and t2, while social support increased. Coping with homeschooling degraded significantly between t1 and t2, while leisure behavior did not change significantly. Lower SES was associated with lower physical wellbeing, poorer coping with homeschooling, longer computer gaming times, and a stronger decrease of concentration on schoolwork from t1 to t2. CONCLUSION: Repeated school closures have a negative effect on already compromised physical wellbeing and coping with homeschooling, especially in children from lower social strata.