COVID-19 Unmasked Global Collaboration Protocol: longitudinal cohort study examining mental health of young children and caregivers during the pandemic

• Published in: European journal of psychotraumatology Vol. 12; no. 1; p. 1940760
• Main Authors: De Young, Alexandra C., Vasileva, Mira, Boruszak-Kiziukiewicz, Joanna, Demipence Seçinti, Dilara, Christie, Hope, Egberts, Marthe R., Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous, Xenia, Marsac, Meghan L., Ruiz, Gemma, COVID-19 Unmasked Global Collaboration
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 01.01.2021; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: adult; adulto; bienestar; Caregivers; Child & adolescent mental health; Cohort analysis; colaboración global; Collaboration; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; covid-19 pandemic; COVID-19 疫情; crianza de los hijos; factores de riesgo; global collaboration; Infant; lactante; Longitudinal studies; Medical research; Mental health; niño pequeño; pandemia de COVID-19; Pandemics; parenting; preescolar; preschool; risk factors; salud mental; Study Protocol; well-being; young child; 全球合作; 婴儿; 学龄前; 幼儿; 心理健康; 成人; 身心健康; 风险因素; 婴儿; global collaboration; 学龄前; factores de riesgo; mental health; 幼儿; Infant; adulto; young child; 全球合作; 心理健康; pandemia de COVID-19; niño pequeño; bienestar; parenting; crianza de los hijos; well-being; risk factors; 成人; 身心健康; preescolar; salud mental; 风险因素; COVID-19 疫情; colaboración global; preschool; adult; covid-19 pandemic; lactante
• ISSN: 2000-8066; 2000-8198; 2000-8066
• DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2021.1940760

Background: Early empirical data shows that school-aged children, adolescents and adults are experiencing elevated levels of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, there is very little research on mental health outcomes for young children. Objectives: To describe the formation of a global collaboration entitled, 'COVID-19 Unmasked'. The collaborating researchers aim to (1) describe and compare the COVID-19 related experiences within and across countries; (2) examine mental health outcomes for young children (1 to 5 years) and caregivers over a 12-month period during the COVID-19 pandemic; (3) explore the trajectories/time course of psychological outcomes of the children and parents over this period and (4) identify the risk and protective factors for different mental health trajectories. Data will be combined from all participating countries into one large open access cross-cultural dataset to facilitate further international collaborations and joint publications. Methods: COVID-19 Unmasked is an online prospective longitudinal cohort study. An international steering committee was formed with the aim of starting a global collaboration. Currently, partnerships have been formed with 9 countries (Australia, Cyprus, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Turkey, the UK, and the United States of America). Research partners have started to start data collection with caregivers of young children aged 1-5 years old at baseline, 3-months, 6-months, and 12-months. Caregivers are invited to complete an online survey about COVID-19 related exposure and experiences, child's wellbeing, their own mental health, and parenting. Data analysis: Primary study outcomes will be child mental health as assessed by scales from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System - Early Childhood (PROMIS-EC) and caregiver mental health as assessed by the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). The trajectories/time course of mental health difficulties and the impact of risk and protective factors will be analysed using hierarchical linear models, accounting for nested effects (e.g. country) and repeated measures. This article describes the formation of a global collaboration between 9 countries that are collecting data to examine mental health outcomes for young children (1 to 5 years) and caregivers over a 12-month period during the COVID-19 pandemic.