2023 Volume 23 Pages 48-61
In this study, we used data from a survey of children from Grade 5 and Grade 8, including their parents, to capture the reality of depression in children during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to examine factors associated with depression. The results found that 11.4% of children in Grade 5 and 24.4% of children in Grade 8 tended to have depression, and compared with boys, girls had a higher risk of depression. The results suggested that children who can understand classroom lessons, eat lunch well, sleep regularly, participate in club activities, and feel that their families are supportive of them have a lower risk of depression, while children who are frequently late, have more health concerns, have no one to talk to, are alone after school, and have no opportunity to talk about their concerns and feelings have a higher risk of depression. Furthermore, it also suggested that children are at higher risk of depression in families with poor parental mental health, and that family involvement during the primary school years plays a more important role in supporting children’s mental health.
