Contributions of social support to mitigate pediatric internalizing symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic

Prior research highlighted the broad, widespread ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of adults, children, and youth globally, which may be attenuated by social support. Social support, defined as one’s belief that others will help in times of need, may protect against the impact of myriad life stressors on the development of psychopathology. The present study examined the potential for perceived social support to mitigate the longitudinal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s internalizing symptoms. Pairs (N=317) of one child aged 8 to 13 and their parent/guardian reported on the child’s emotional distress, irritability, depressive, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress symptoms at baseline and seven follow-up assessments over nine months between June 2020 and December 2021; at each assessment, children also reported their current perceptions of social support from family and friends. Families were recruited in two cohorts in June-July 2020 (n=190) and November 2020 to January 2021 (n=127). Although symptoms fluctuated over time, children’s baseline perception of social support availability from family and friends did not predict interindividual variability in symptom change over time. Social support fluctuated over time. At each monthly assessment, elevations in social support relative to one’s own mean were associated with decreased children’s symptomatology from both child and parent/guardian perspectives. Children self-reported, and parents/guardians observed, lower symptom severity in months when children reported higher social support. Findings highlight the importance of social support for pediatric mental health and suggest that social support may be bolstered during public health crises to assist children.