The biannual survey of Seoul's 2,520 households with children aged 18 and under showed that their level of happiness was 2.3 points on a 3-point scale, up 22 percent from an average of 1.88 points in 2021.
During the pandemic, all Koreans were required to wear face masks to prevent the spread of the COVID-19. Gatherings of more than 100 people were prohibited, and many public facilities were shut down. Children had to take online classes at home, but their return to classrooms in 2022 appears to have had a positive impact.
Negative emotions such as depression (1.70 points), anger (1.75 points), loneliness (1.66 points), and anxiety (1.68 points) all decreased by an average of 20 percent, compared to the same survey conducted in 2021.
The survey also showed that children spent about 190.2 minutes playing with friends per week, up 33 percent from 142.9 minutes in 2021. But their playtime was still shorter, compared to 382.3 minutes in the pre-pandemic period of 2019.
Among teenagers aged 10 to 17, three percent were advised to seek consultation for their mental health, but 7.6 percent did not. Some parents were reluctant to pursue treatment at mental health clinics, indicating a need for better understanding and awareness of mental health issues.
The city government plans to use these findings to enhance current policies and initiating new projects aimed at increasing children's happiness.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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