Publication date: Dec 12, 2025
This study investigated whether behavioural and emotional problems among 3-year-olds increased during the COVID-19 epidemic in Sweden, a country that kept preschools open during the whole pandemic. This was a cross-sectional study including 71 917 children in the Stockholm region whose parents had completed the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) prior to a routine well-baby clinic visit at age 3 years during 2018-2023. Multivariate linear regression was used to compare change in SDQ measures over time, and to compare change for children who attended preschool with children in home care in a difference in differences approach. Mean and high scores on total as well as specific SDQ scales remained the same before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic for the children who attended preschool. For the children in home care the mean total estimate increased by 6. 0% during the pandemic, compared with children attending preschool, with the highest increase for emotional symptoms, 14%, but gradually returned to the pre- COVID-19 level when the pandemic measures were lifted. These results suggest a beneficial effect of the Swedish COVID-19 policy on behavioural and emotional symptoms of preschool children, with particular importance of keeping preschools open.
| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| High | inequity |
| Preschools | mental health |
| Swedish | pre‐school children |
| Therapy | prevention |
| single parent | |
| young parents |
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 Pandemic |