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Table 2 Descriptive statistics on the different variables surrounding mental health and coping mechanisms

From: Locked up at home: a cross-sectional study into the effects of COVID-19 lockdowns on domestic violence in households with children in Belgium

 

Before the COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemica

n (%)

% children victimized

X2; df; p-value

n (%)

% children victimized

X2; df; p-value

Mental health

 Acute stress symptoms (ASS)

–

–

–

  

20.85; 1; <.001

  No

   

687 (78.97)

12.52

 

  Yes

   

183 (21.03)

26.23

 

 Perceived stress (PSS)

–

–

–

  

21.67; 2; <.001

  Low

   

195 (22.41)

8.21

 

  Moderate

   

542 (62.30)

15.13

 

  High

   

133 (15.29)

27.07

 

 Psychological distress (PHQ-4)

–

–

–

  

28.87; 3; <.001

  No

   

272 (31.26)

9.56

 

  Mild

   

315 (36.21)

14.60

 

  Moderate

   

158 (18.16)

15.19

 

  Severe

   

125 (14.37)

30.40

 

(Ab) use of

 Alcohol

  

4.27; 1; .039

  

0.32; 1; .573

  No

422 (48.51)

18.01

 

435 (50.00)

14.71

 

  Problematic

448 (51.49)

12.95

 

435 (50.00)

16.09

 

 Sedatives

  

14.01; 2; <.001

  

13.93; 2; <.001

  No

547 (62.87)

11.88

 

638 (73.33)

12.62

 

  Yes

314 (36.09)

21.34

 

228 (26.12)

22.81

 

  No answer

9 (1.03)

22.22

 

8 (.92)

25.00

 

 THC

  

1.575; 2; .455

  

2.42; 2; .298

  No

644 (74.02)

15.68

 

815 (93.68)

15.09

 

  Yes

215 (24.71)

13.95

 

46 (5.29)

17.39

 

  No answer

11 (1.26)

27.27

 

9 (1.03)

33.33

 

 Stimulants

  

0.511; 2; .774

  

.161*

  No

791 (90.92)

15.42

 

844 (97.01)

15.17

 

  Yes

65 (7.47)

13.85

 

15 (1.72)

13.33

 

  No answer

14 (1.61)

21.43

 

11 (1.26)

36.36

 

Self-harming behaviour & suicidal ideation

 Suicidal thoughts

  

24.00; 2; <.001

  

33.09; 2; <.001

  No

591 (67.93)

11.34

 

706 (81.15)

12.04

 

  Yes

257 (29.54)

24.51

 

147 (16.90)

30.61

 

  No answer

22 (2.53)

18.18

 

17 (1.95)

23.53

 

 Suicide attempts

  

8.01; 2; .018

  

1.000*

  No

815 (93.68)

14.72

 

858 (98.62)

15.50

 

  Yes

43 (4.94)

30.23

 

2 (.23)

0

 

  No answer

12 (1.38)

8.33

 

10 (1.15)

10.00

 

 Self-mutilation

  

9.80; 2; .007

  

12.17; 2; .002

  No

777 (89.31)

14.29

 

841 (96.67)

14.86

 

  Yes

81 (9.31)

27.16

 

18 (2.07)

44.44

 

  No answer

12 (1.38)

8.33

 

11 (1.26)

9.09

 
  1. aDuring the COVID-19 pandemic: Only the second wave for the mental health variables. The first and second wave were taken together for the (ab) use and self-harming behaviour and suicidal ideation variables
  2. * Fisher’s Exact Test (instead of Chi Square Test): p-value
  3. A corrected p-level of .05/7 = .007 was used as the critical significance level for the 1st set of comparisons (before the COVID-19 pandemic). A corrected p-level of .05/10 = .005 was used as the critical significance level for the 2nd set of comparisons (during the COVID-19 pandemic). The mental health scales were not asked for the period before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic
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BMC Public Health

ISSN: 1471-2458

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