The coronavirus and the psychological health of parents, children and young adults

What impact is the coronavirus pandemic having on the psychological health of children and their parents? How did the lockdown affect family life at home and family members’ well-being?

These and other questions related to stress and stress management were the focal points of an online survey that LINK has just done for the La Source School of Nursing and the Clinic for Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the University of Zurich. «The objective is to determine whether individuals who used stress management strategies are better off psychologically,» Professor Dr. Meichun Mohler-Kuo said.

For the study conducted in the LINK Internet panel, parents and their children ranging from 12 to 17 years old as well as young adults were asked about their experiences during the lockdown and their approach to the coronavirus pandemic. This Internet panel creates the unique opportunity to conduct an online survey with children younger than 15 with their parents’ permission.

During the program Le12h45 broadcast by the western Swiss television station RTS, the topic Children and the Mask was discussed in detail on September 16, 2020. In addition to an insightful discussion on such topics as the impact of the mandatory face masks on the development and learning of small children, Meichun Mohler-Kuo of La Source was interviewed and talked with RTS about the study.