Covid-19 lockdowns had lasting impacts on school children’s ability to regulate their behaviour, stay focused and even adapt to new situations, a new study has claimed
Children in reception year during Covid-19 lockdowns have had their ability to regulate their behaviour disrupted, a study shows.
Scientists looking at the impact of the pandemic on UK children found their ability to stay focused and adapt to new situations were hampered. Children were scored for these skills and the greatest impact was seen in pupils who were in reception when the first lockdowns began – a crucial stage when youngsters normally learn to socialise, follow routines and navigate the busy world of the classroom.
These children showed less growth in their ability to regulate their emotions and adapt when needed compared to a second group of children who were in preschool when the pandemic started.
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The research team from the University of East Anglia say these children may still be feeling the effects years later. Lead researcher Prof John Spencer, from UEA’s School of Psychology, said: “Children who were in reception when the country shut down showed much slower growth in key self-regulation and cognitive flexibility skills over the next few years than children who were still in preschool.
“These children found it harder to shift between tasks and control impulses – abilities that usually improve rapidly once children enter structured school environments.”
Scientists were already running a long-term study tracking youngsters from toddlerhood to early school years when the Covid pandemic hit. They followed 139 children aged between two-and-a-half and six-and-a-half years old over several years, including 94 families who joined the study before Covid struck.
Using a test called the Minnesota Executive Function Scale they were able to measure the same cognitive skills at regular intervals. Reception pupils fell behind and struggled to catch up. Children who had stronger skills at two-and-a-half years old tended to remain ahead at six-and-a-half years.
Prof Spencer said: “Reception is a critical year for peer socialisation. It’s when children learn classroom norms and build early friendships that shape their confidence. But for the cohort who started school in 2020, classrooms were closed, routines collapsed overnight, and opportunities for social interaction were severely limited.
“Our findings suggest that peer socialisation and the new self-regulatory skills children must master in reception might be particularly critical for the development of executive function skills.
“Without these experiences, reception children had a challenging time developing self-regulation and cognitive flexibility in the years that followed the pandemic.”
This research, published in the journal Child Development, was led by the University of East Anglia in collaboration with Lancaster University and Durham University.
