A groundbreaking study from UC Merced has revealed significant disruptions to pre-schoolers’ social skills due to COVID-19 lockdowns. Led by Professor Rose Scott and a team of researchers, the study examined children aged 3½ to 5½, investigating how the pandemic impacted their cognitive development—particularly in the area of social cognition.
The research focused on a critical cognitive skill known as false-belief understanding, which allows children to recognise that others can hold different beliefs from their own. This skill is essential for effective social interaction and cooperation, as it helps children navigate the complexities of peer relationships. The study showed that pre-schoolers tested before the pandemic were able to demonstrate this skill effectively, but those assessed after the lockdowns exhibited a significant decline in performance.
Key Findings:
- Decline in Social Cognition Skills: Prior to the pandemic, 80% of five-year-olds demonstrated proficiency in false-belief tasks. In contrast, this success rate plummeted to 63% in the post-lockdown group. For children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, only 51% were able to pass these tasks, indicating a troubling trend in cognitive development for this demographic.
- Impact of Socioeconomic Factors: The study found that children from families with lower financial resources experienced a more pronounced decline in social cognition skills compared to their peers from higher socioeconomic backgrounds. This disparity may be linked to a lack of opportunities for social interaction due to nursery closures and limited informal playdates during the lockdown.
- Potential Reasons for Decline: The research suggests that the lockdown may have placed considerable financial and mental strain on lower-income families, resulting in less communication and interaction between parents and children. Increased screen time, associated with lower false-belief understanding, may have also contributed to the decline in cognitive skills.
- Persistent Effects: Follow-up tests conducted in 2023 revealed that the low scores in false-belief understanding persisted, indicating that the impact of the pandemic on social cognition may have long-lasting effects on these children’s development.
Professor Scott emphasised the importance of social skills in early childhood, noting that a child who struggles with cognitive tasks may face difficulties in forming friendships and succeeding academically. The ability to understand multiple perspectives is crucial for effective interactions in both social and educational settings.
The findings of this study underscore the urgent need for interventions aimed at supporting pre-schoolers’ social skills in a post-pandemic context. As the academic community continues to respond to these insights, the research highlights the critical importance of fostering social development during the formative years of childhood.
For further details on the study and its implications, visit: COVID Lockdown Disrupted Pre-schoolers’ Social Skills, Trailblazing Research Shows.
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