Impact of COVID-19 on Children's Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptomology, Daily Life, and Problem Behavior During Virtual Learning

To explore the impact of COVID-19 on daily life and problem behavior during virtual learning, we created and administered a survey to 64 school-aged children (in 2019, M = 9.84 years; SD = 0.55 years). Results indicated significant increases in hyperactivity (t = -2.259; p = .027) and inattention (t = -2.811; p = .007) from 2019 to 2020. Decreases in sleep were associated with increases in hyperactivity (B = -0.27; p = .04); increases in time exercising were associated with smaller increases in inattention (B = -0.34, p = .01); and higher levels of parent stress, specifically related to virtual learning, were associated with increases in child inattention (B = 0.57, p = .01). Furthermore, hyperactivity predicted problem behavior during virtual learning (B = 0.31, p = .03).