**3. The effects on psychological health of children and adolescents**

The psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young children and adolescents is perhaps a crucial but apparently ignored aspect of this phenomenon [66, 67]. Developmental psychology literature has substantially revealed that experiences learned through environmental factors in early childhood lay the foundations for lifelong behavioral patterns and success, since it is a critical stage for cognitive, emotional, and psychosocial skills development [68]. During a severe pandemic like COVID-19, community-based mitigation programs such as the closure of schools, parks and playgrounds can disrupt children's usual lifestyles, potentially causing distress and confusion. The children who have to cope with these changes may display impatience, distress and hostility while both younger and older children are likely to become more demanding, which can lead to physical and mental violence by parents who are under extreme pressure. Stress factors such as monotonous Daily life, frustration, lack of face-to-face communication with classmates, friends, and teachers, inadequate personal space at home, and financial losses of the family during the quarantine can all trigger potentially distressing and even long-lasting adverse mental consequences among the children [66]. The interplay between changes in daily routine, house arrest, and fear of infection can further intensify these undesirable mental responses, leading to a vicious circle [66, 69]. A European study has also revealed that there are strikingly positive associations between children's fearful responses to the disease and parents' knowledge of H1N1 virus threat [70]. Likewise, children experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic may suffer from various phobias and PTSD after learning risk information and other depressing details through mass media, especially social media [66, 71]. The children with single parents, including healthcare staff caring for COVID-19 patients, may experience adjustment disorders if their parents are to be quarantined [72]. Immediate or temporary separation of parents from children can create tensions, thereby causing long-lasting psychological effects as the children fear for their life or his loved ones.

Adults should provide information to considering the children's age and level of intelligence when talking about the epidemic. It has been stated that having a sensitive and effective conversation about a life-threatening disease is an improving factor for the long-term psychological health of the child and family [73]. Given that the adolescents indicate less or no symptoms of coronavirus, not paying attention to the social distance rule and personal hygiene may accelerate spread of the infection [74]. Hence, curfews were enforced for those under the age of 20 in many countries in the first months of the epidemic. However, since adolescence is a period in which autonomy develops and peer relationships gain importance [75], this process, in which social distance rules are particularly emphasized, may affect adolescents psychologically negatively.

Studies on past epidemics have reported that public health emergencies negatively affect the psychological states of university students, and may lead to complaints such as anxiety, fear, and depression [76]. The main reasons why the university students are worried about COVID-19 may include the impact of the virus on their educational life [77] and the belief that they will be unemployed after graduation [14]. It is widely known that anxiety disorders occur or worsen in the absence of interpersonal communication, and the isolation of young people from their peers and social settings during the quarantine could be one of the reasons that increase their anxiety [78].

To put it briefly, it has been stated that the factors that escalate anxiety among the university students include the economic stressors emerging with the epidemic, the disruptive changes in daily life routine (travel restrictions, all mandatory

#### *Perspective Chapter: Psychological Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.101498*

measures to control the epidemic), academic delays (changes and reorganization of the academic calendar), distance education and decreased social support [79].

Considering the challenge of education during the pandemic, the only effective way to continue education is teaching online lectures and assignments. However, experts have warned about overloading on the web. Specific psychological needs, healthy lifestyles, appropriate hygiene advice and good parenting guidelines can be addressed through the same online platform [66].
