It has been a year since the COVID-19 pandemic struck the world globally bringing about a negative impact to us all. Reports have emerged on its impact on children's emotional and psychological well-being due to movement restrictions and online learning.
According to an academician from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), he has been getting increasing negative feedback on the mental health of children due to the drastic changes in their daily routine.
Dr Syed Mohamad Syed Abdullah, a senior lecturer in Guidance and Counselling at USM's School of Educational Studies, said that many children have been impacted both mentally and emotionally since the implementation of MCO in March 2020. “From my observation, the MCO impacted children in two ways, namely their learning ability and interpersonal (social) development. Although no comprehensive study has been carried out on the MCO’s impact on children’s mental health, initial feedback about their attitude and behaviour showed that the movement restrictions had an impact on them,” he said.
According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019, nearly half a million children are facing issues with mental health. “And now with the pandemic, the situation is expected to get worse. We are getting increasing negative feedback on the mental health of children who are facing issues such as stress inflicted by online learning, as well as cabin fever,” he said.
Note: Cabin fever refers to the feeling of restlessness, irritability and loneliness experienced by a person who has been confined indoors for a long period of time.
Level of Understanding
According to Syed Mohamad, the level of understanding of the limitations on movements and the need to adapt to the new normal would differ from child to child in accordance with their knowledge and maturity levels.
It is their level of understanding that would dictate their readiness to face the changes in their lives. The higher the level, the higher the possibility of them understanding the danger of COVID-19 and why they cannot go out as often as they used to before the pandemic struck.
One of the aspects of movement restrictions that have impacted children greatly is online learning. Apart from the stress of having to adapt to a new learning environment, the children also have to struggle with the drastic changes in the way they socialise with their classmates.
Orang Asli Children are also impacted by online learning due to lack of internet access and gadgets - credits to BERNAMA
“If this (online learning) persists for a long period of time, it can affect their interpersonal or social skills, which can have an impact on their mental health,” he said.
With regards to cabin fever, he said that limited movements over a relatively long period of time can make children feel “trapped” and lead to changes in their emotional and behavioural patterns. “When they find themselves unable to carry out their usual activities, they would feel fearful, depressed, sad, stressed and confused… they may also become overly sensitive or apathetic. Their behaviour would start to change and they may become rebellious, hyperactive, argumentative or destructive or throw tantrums and alienate themselves (from their families).”
Online Learning
Commenting on the mental and emotional well-being of schoolchildren trying to cope with the challenges posed by digital learning, Syed Mohamad said many of them are showing signs of rejecting this system of learning and displaying disinterest in their schoolwork. “As for those about to sit for examinations, their stress is apparent because they feel they could have understood their lessons better if taught face-to-face. This can affect their motivation level and learning skills. It’s feared that if this situation prevails longer, then learning outcomes may not be fully achieved,” he said.
He added on to say that during these difficult times, parents and family members play a significant role in managing their children’s mental and emotional well-being. “Children usually feel ‘unsafe’ when they no longer have a daily routine (due to changes in the way they learn and socialise). And, such a situation can stimulate the brain to produce responses that make it difficult for them to learn or absorb information.” In this respect, he shared that parents can help by preparing a daily routine for their children that is packed with various new activities that are suited to the home environment.
On another note, creating a flexible timetable for learning as well as sports and recreational activities will not only kill boredom but give children the time and space to express their ideas and expend their energy. Syed Mohamad shares that a suitable line-up of activities for children would be cooking, washing their bicycle, gardening, decorating their room, painting walls, drawing, colouring and aerobic exercises. “These activities will not only keep them occupied but also keep them away from their gadgets and computers,” he said.
Urging parents to provide emotional support to their children and make them feel loved and wanted, he said children become more resilient when they are able to communicate well with their parents. “Parents need to communicate with their children in a friendly and open manner… this way their children will feel comfortable enough to express their problems to them.”
Source and photo credits: BERNAMA
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