Graduation Year

2024

Document Type

Senior Thesis

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Primary Major

Nursing

Thesis Advisor

Kendra Hoepper, DNP, APRN, PNP-BC

Abstract

COVID-19 caused schools to turn to online learning through platforms such as Zoom or Google Meet. The influence and effects caused by the transition to online lessons and quarantine were seen across all patient populations and demographics, but none more so than preschool children, who are regarded as one of the more vulnerable populations due to their susceptibility to change. This research aims to fill gaps in the existing literature by evaluating the similarities and differences of the neurocognitive and psychosocial development of preschoolers exposed to the pandemic and those who were not. This study involves a comparative cohort approach which includes both quantitative and qualitative surveys, in-person interviews, and observations, which will gather data from two cohorts: 100 pandemic children aged three to five and 100 pre-pandemic children aged five to seven years using measurements such as the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3), The Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory (CHEXI), and the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders (HTKS). Content analysis and descriptive statistics will also be utilized to evaluate interviews and survey questions. Participants for this study were chosen from preschools in Santa Clara county and provided parental consent for their involvement. Results indicate that both pre-pandemic and post-pandemic cohorts show differential delays in neurocognitive and psychosocial development. This research proposal contains a thorough review of literature that aids in the exploration of further research upon the research question: In preschoolers, how did social isolation compared to social interaction influence their neurocognitive and psychosocial development during the lockdown of COVID-19?

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