COVID-19 pandemic impact on adolescent mental health: a reassessment accounting for development.
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| Title: | COVID-19 pandemic impact on adolescent mental health: a reassessment accounting for development. |
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| Authors: | Wright, N., Hill, J., Sharp, H., Refberg-Brown, M., Crook, D., Kehl, S., Pickles, A. |
| Source: | European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Aug2024, Vol. 33 Issue 8, p2615-2627. 13p. |
| Subjects: | Poisson distribution, Mental health, Health impact assessment, Research funding, Sex distribution, Descriptive statistics, COVID-19 pandemic, Mental depression, Adolescence |
| Geographic Terms: | United Kingdom |
| Abstract: | Current prospective reports suggest a pandemic-related increase in adolescent mental health problems. We examine whether age-related change over 11–14 years accounts for this increase. Mothers and adolescents in a UK-based birth cohort (Wirral Child Health and Development Study; WCHADS; N = 737) reported on adolescent depression and behavioural problems pre-pandemic (December 2019–March 2020), mid-pandemic (June 2020–March 2021) and late pandemic (July 2021–March 2022). Analysis used repeated measures models for over-dispersed Poisson counts with an adolescent-specific intercept with age as a time-varying covariate. Maturational curves for girls, but not for boys, showed a significant increase in self-reported depression symptoms over ages 11–14 years. Behavioural problems decreased for both. After adjusting for age-related change, girls' depression increased by only 13% at mid-pandemic and returned to near pre-pandemic level at late pandemic (mid versus late – 12%), whereas boys' depression increased by 31% and remained elevated (mid versus late 1%). Age-adjusted behavioural problems increased for both (girls 40%, boys 41%) and worsened from mid- to late pandemic (girls 33%, boys 18%). Initial reports of a pandemic-related increase in depression in young adolescent girls could be explained by a natural maturational rise. In contrast, maturational decreases in boys' depression and both boys' and girls' behavioural problems may mask an effect of the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Current prospective reports suggest a pandemic-related increase in adolescent mental health problems. We examine whether age-related change over 11–14 years accounts for this increase. Mothers and adolescents in a UK-based birth cohort (Wirral Child Health and Development Study; WCHADS; N = 737) reported on adolescent depression and behavioural problems pre-pandemic (December 2019–March 2020), mid-pandemic (June 2020–March 2021) and late pandemic (July 2021–March 2022). Analysis used repeated measures models for over-dispersed Poisson counts with an adolescent-specific intercept with age as a time-varying covariate. Maturational curves for girls, but not for boys, showed a significant increase in self-reported depression symptoms over ages 11–14 years. Behavioural problems decreased for both. After adjusting for age-related change, girls' depression increased by only 13% at mid-pandemic and returned to near pre-pandemic level at late pandemic (mid versus late – 12%), whereas boys' depression increased by 31% and remained elevated (mid versus late 1%). Age-adjusted behavioural problems increased for both (girls 40%, boys 41%) and worsened from mid- to late pandemic (girls 33%, boys 18%). Initial reports of a pandemic-related increase in depression in young adolescent girls could be explained by a natural maturational rise. In contrast, maturational decreases in boys' depression and both boys' and girls' behavioural problems may mask an effect of the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 10188827 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s00787-023-02337-y |
