The mental health of adolescents in a pandemic: are they more impacted than them?

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, specialists have emphasized the negative impact that the effects of confinement and restrictions on social life would have on adolescents.

It is at a stage of life where socialization and identification with peers are vital for the development of social skills, depriving girls and boys of this exchange for so long we knew it was wrong. be beneficial in the long run.

However, the consequences did not take long to manifest and quite a few young people show symptoms of depression, as they revealed from surveys conducted around the world.

A recent study based on a survey of 523 adolescents in Iceland found that Girls reported a greater negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on well-being and behavior than boys, and had a high level of depressive symptoms.

In the eyes of experts, adolescence is characterized by a greater desire for independence, autonomy and dependence on peer relationships for emotional support and social development, as well as increased sensitivity. exposure to stress associated with pubertal development. As such, the combination of concerns about the spread of COVID-19 and measures to contain its transmission (for example, forced physical distancing from friends and confinement at home) is likely to negatively affect the well-being of individuals. teenagers. In particular, the pandemic intersects with an increasing prevalence of mental health problems and harmful behaviors among adolescents, and it is the combination of these factors that researchers have described as “the perfect storm.”, sparking growing concern among healthcare providers and researchers around the world about a mental health pandemic among adolescents and young adults in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the researchers of the work published in JCPP Advances, adolescents have been largely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions that accompany it; however, this negative impact was more pronounced in girls. The results suggest that a consistent routine and staying socially connected can help young people cope with the uncertainty and social stresses associated with a pandemic.

Although boys and girls appeared affected, girls reported a greater negative impact on all general indicators of well-being and behavior change during COVID-19 than boys, and their depressive symptoms were above and beyond the expected scores at the national level.. Higher depressive symptoms were associated with increased passive use of social media and decreased connection with family members over the phone or on social media in girls, as well as decreased sleep and increased sleepiness online games alone in children. Concerns about other people contracting COVID-19, changes in daily and school routines, and not seeing friends in person were among the main contributing factors to the poor mental health identified by young people, especially girls.

In addition, Factors contributing to poor mental health in this age group included concerns about other people contracting COVID-19, changes in daily and school routines, and not seeing friends in person. .

“The results suggest that healthcare providers, teachers and other professionals should especially monitor depressive symptoms and girls’ well-being during COVID-19 and its aftermath,” said lead author Thorhildur Halldorsdottir , PhD, clinical psychologist and assistant professor in the department. of psychology at the University of Reykjavik.

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