Evaluation of Psychological and Physical Violence towards Children and Adolescents before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Lodz Voivodship.

backgroundIt has been shown that the course of COVID-19 infection in the under-18 population was in many cases sparsely symptomatic. In contrast, the impact of the pandemic on the psychological state is quite different. The risk of psychopathological symptoms in children and adolescents increased and the course of already present psychiatric disorders has often been exacerbated.

objectivesThus, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of psychological and physical violence among children and adolescents and its change during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to investigate various factors that might affect violence.

methodsIn this survey study, 782 responses were included, with 480 collected during the second and 302 during the fourth wave of COVID-19. In this cross-sectional study, an anonymous questionnaire was used to collect demographic data, medical history, mental state, psychopathological symptoms, as well as the presence of psychological, physical violence, and suicidal self-harm behaviors before (retrospectively) and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the under-18 population of the Lodz Voivodship. The survey was prepared using Google Forms.

resultsA decrease in the prevalence of physical violence during both waves of the pandemic has been observed (6.39% vs. 3.45%;

conclusionsThe observed decrease in physical violence during the COVID-19 pandemic suggests that in the studied group, home environment was not the main source of physical violence. Yet, we did not find any predicting factors for this form of violence. Violence, both physical and psychological, is a dangerous phenomenon in the under-18 population both in the pre-pandemic period and in crisis situations such as the pandemic.