Evaluation of Screen Time in Children and Adolescents Diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder During the COVID-19 Pandemic COVID-19 Salgın Sürecinde Dikkat Eksikliği Hiperaktivite Bozukluğu Tanılı Çocuk ve Ergenlerde Ekran Sürelerinin Değerlendirilmesi


UZUN ÇAKIR A. D., Sapmaz Ş. Y., Çakır B., Kale M. K., Bilaç Ö., Kandemir H.

Turkish Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, vol.30, no.3, pp.228-234, 2023 (Scopus) identifier identifier

Abstract

Objectives: Our aim is to understand how children/adolescents diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and their parents are affected by the pandemic process. Materials and Methods: The healthy children diagnosed with ADHD and without any complaints or psychiatric disorders and the parents of the whole group were included in the study. Data were collected using the information form, the hospital anxiety depression scale (HADS), the revised child anxiety and depression scale-child version (R-CADS). The information form and HADS were filled in by the parents, and R-CADS by the children. A total of 131 people with 62 ADHD were included in the study. Results: In both groups, it was observed that screen and sleep time increased, and social and physical activity time decreased. There was no difference between the two groups in terms of anxiety and depression scores. Conclusion: The similarity of the psychological effects in the ADHD group with the general population during the pandemic may be due to they are under treatment. Although the screen time both groups increased significantly compared to the pre-pandemic period, no significant difference was found between the groups. More research on pediatric psychiatric disorders in times of pandemics is necessary.