Home Quarantines and Cumulative Risk Exposure Among Young Children – Evidence on the Isolation and Maladaptation Linkage

Background–Self-isolation and quarantine are common and effective measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. However, it may have detrimental implications on young children’s adaptation and mental health.

Objectives–The current study explores the prevalence of home quarantine among young children in Israel and its associations with children’s maladaptive behaviors.

Methods–The analysis is based on self-reported data obtained by 375 parents of young children during November 2021. Participants completed questionnaires, assessing the prevalence of home-quarantines among children (aged 3-11 years old), and maladaptive behaviors, including rage outbursts, physical violence against family or friends, and panic attacks. Multivariate regression models were used to determine the relationships between the number of child quarantines and their maladaptive behaviors.

Results–Our results suggest that 51% of parents reported having their child quarantined more than once, which did not differ across socioeconomic characteristics. Furthermore, 66% of parents reported that during the pandemic, their child exhibited maladaptive behaviors at least once, of which rage outbursts were most reported (63%), followed by physical violence (35%) and panic attacks (20%). These behaviors were significantly more prevalent among children who were quarantined more than once compared to those who never quarantined. Children who were quarantined more than once were more likely to exhibit rage outbursts, physical violence and/or panic attacks. The associations between children’s quarantine and physical violence were slightly stronger among families living in high-density households. Following multivariate adjustment, children who quarantined more than once were significantly more likely to exhibit rage outbursts (OR=2.53, p<0.01), physical violence (OR=2.44, p<0.01), and panic attacks (OR=2.59, p<0.01). Borderline significant interactions were observed between children’s quarantine and residential density in estimating children’s violent behaviors (OR=3.92, p<0.1).

Conclusions–The findings reveal that experiences of home quarantines expose young children to a higher risk of maladaptive behaviors. The combination of home quarantine incidents with high residential density, as a feature of poverty, elevates the effect of risk. Repeated experiences of home quarantine may operate as exposure to accumulative risk and have a lasting effect on young children’s development. Practice and policy recommendations for the treatment of young children who experience home quarantines are discussed.