Young Children’s Well-being: Social Isolation During The COVID-19 Lockdown and Effective Strategies

Abstract

The rapid spread of COVID-19 has triggered a worldwide epidemic emergency which is an international concern that poses a number of challenges to the physical and mental health of humans across the globe. Like businesses and universities, schools around the world have been closed and children must remain at home during this pandemic. However, social isolation could have a negative impact on young children’s wellbeing if it is not addressed adequately. Social epidemiology research shows that the comorbidity of physical illnesses and mental disorders is higher especially in the absence of positive social relationships. Psychological studies show that social isolation could trigger several complications including emotional disturbance, sleep disorders, depressive syndromes, anxiety and stress. However, little is known about the psychological impact of social isolation during COVID -19 on young children’s mental health and there are still no specific guidelines regarding effective psychological strategies that could support children’s wellbeing. Drawing on existing research on social isolation, this review aims to synthesise previous literature to explore the negative impact of social isolation in young children and offer a comprehensive set of evidence-informed recommendations for parents and professionals to safeguard the mental health of young children currently on lockdown across the globe.