The Effect of The Covid-19 Pandemic On The Adaptation Process and Psychiatric Symptoms of Children Aged 7-12: A Telemedicine Study

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the presented study is to evaluate the adaptive process and psychiatric symptoms in the 7-12 age group followed-up with telemedicine interviews during the height of the pandemic. Method: Patients between the ages of 7-12 who were followed up in our outpatient clinic were called by telemedicine service at the appointment date. The questionnaire prepared by the researchers in order to investigate the adaptation process to the pandemic was administered, the answers provided by the patients and their families were recorded in the case data form together with Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Scale score appraised by the interviewing psychiatrist. Medical records pertaining to each patient were also reviewed, their psychiatric diagnoses, according to DSM 5 criteria and CGI scores recorded in their last face-to-face interviews during the pandemic period, were included in the case data form. Results: Fifty patients were included in the study. The mean age of the participants was 9.14 +/- 1.61 years. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (60%) was the most common psychiatric diagnosis detected in the participants before the pandemic, followed closely by anxiety and related disorders (20%) and specific learning difficulty (16%). The CGI scores of the cases before, and during the pandemic were 2.72 +/- 0.75, and 2.92 +/- 0.94, respectively. The difference between the mean scores was statistically significant (p=0.024). Conclusion: Our study emphasizes the importance of follow-up by telemental health practices in cases where face-to-face psychiatric interviews are not applicable, i.e., due to the risk of transmission of COVID-19 disease during the current pandemic.