Peer reviewed - observational study - humans

The Covid pandemic disrupted children’s ability to self-regulate - according to new research from the University of East Anglia.

A new study reveals that the pandemic hampered children’s ability to regulate their behaviour, stay focused and adapt to new situations - skills known collectively as executive functions.

The greatest impact was seen among 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 self-regulatory and cognitive flexibility scores over time compared to a second group of children who were in preschool when the pandemic started.

The research team say these children may still be feeling the effects years later.

How the research happened

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.

This meant that they had a rare baseline of children’s abilities before the pandemic began, which allowed them to track exactly how development changed during and after the lockdowns.

Using a standardised assessment 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

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.

Why reception-age children suffered the most

“Reception is a critical year for peer socialisation,” said Prof Spencer. “It’s when children learn classroom norms and build early friendships that shape their confidence,” said Prof Spencer.

“But for the cohort who started school in 2020, classrooms were closed, routines collapsed overnight, and opportunities for social interaction were severely limited.”

Without these experiences, children’s self-regulatory skills didn’t develop as quickly year-on-year after the lockdowns ended.

Many in this cohort also caught Covid more frequently, raising the possibility that periods of illness worsened the issue.

Key findings:

• Individual differences in executive function abilities were remarkably stable. Children who had stronger skills at two-and-a-half years old tended to remain ahead at six-and-a-half years.
• Children from lower socio-economic households consistently scored lower, echoing long-standing research on the impact of maternal education and home environment.
• Even when controlling for age and family background, Covid’s impact was evident. Children who were in reception at the start of the pandemic made more modest improvements in executive function compared to those still in preschool.

“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.

Extra support

The researchers say their work highlights a generation of children who may need more support from teachers, schools and health services in coming years.

The findings also raise questions about how to protect children’s development in future national emergencies.

This research was led by the University of East Anglia, in collaboration with Lancaster University and Durham University.

‘Tracking the trajectory of executive function from 2.5 to 6.5 years of age and the impact of COVID‐19’ is published in the journal Child Development.