Study on Physical Activity, Playfulness, Stress and Sleep in School Going Children Confined to Home During Covid-19 With Respect to Age and Gender

Abstract

In 2020, The World Health Organization Declared the Novel Corona Virus Disease 2019 Outbreak A Pandemic disease occurring worldwide with large number of deaths. On March 2020, The Government Ordered a National Lockdown. The Lockdown Included Such Measures As, Restriction on Movement, Encourage and Arrangement to Work from Home. Aim Of This Study Was to Assess, Physical Activity, Playfulness, Stress and Sleep Disturbances in School Going Children Had to Confine in Their Homes. It Was a Survey Study with Sample Size Of 100 School Students stopped going to school during covid-19. Students Were Divided into 2 Groups i.e., Group A Which Was Having 25 Boys and Girls of Age 8-11 Yrs and Group B Had 25 Boys and Girls of Age 14-15 Yrs. Four Assessment Parameters Were Used to Assess All the Components. Physical Activity Questionnaire (PAQ), Test of Playfulness (ToP), Perceive Stress Scale (PSS) And Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC). Result Showed That Girls Had More Stress and Less Physical Activity Than Boys. Children Of 8-11 Yrs Had Less Stress and More Physical Activity Than Children Of 14-15 Yrs. It Is Concluded That Covid-19 Had Huge Impact on Children’s Physical Health as Well as Mental Health. With This Study I Found That Occupational Therapy Can Suggest Various Ways to Increase Indoor Physical Play to Maintain Physical Health and Engagement in Purposeful Play, Reduction in Stress and Decrease the Sleep Disturbance by Activity Scheduling, Time Management, Deep Breathing Exercise, Jacobson’s Relaxation Techniques, Meditation, Art Activity Etc.