Generation climate crisis, COVID-19, and Russia-Ukraine- War– Global crises and mental health in adolescents

Abstract

Climate change, Covid-19, and the Russia-Ukraine war are some of the great challenges of our time. These global crises affect young people in a particularly vulnerable phase of their lives. The current study aimed to assess the impact of these crises on mental health (depression, anxiety, and health-related quality of life) in secondary school students in Germany. Furthermore, we assessed known predictors of mental health, such as socio-economic factors, individual life stressors, and resilience factors (self-efficacy, expressive flexibility) as covariates. In our sample of 4001 pupils, pandemic- and climate-related distress were linked to greater depression and anxiety and reduced health-related quality of life. War-related distress was associated with greater anxiety. Critically, these associations remained significant after controlling for all covariates, supporting incremental predictive value of the crises measures. The study reveals a significant impact of the crises on mental health of the current generation of adolescents. As such it suggests that mental health policies should include interventions that help youth to cope with the stress caused by the crises.

Growing (up) in times of multiple crises – A call for mental health (research) action

“…First of all, broader prevention structures focusing on systemic levels of mental health as well as self-efficacy ( Lass-Hennemann et al, 2023 ) and adaptive coping are necessary ( Mah et al, 2020 ). These need to be implemented and institutionalized within structural levels, and have to provide an outreach service – independent of youth’s knowledge about health care structures or individual resources.…”

“…Distress related to the Russia-Ukraine war was associated with greater anxiety. Critically, these associations remained significant when controlling for important covariates (e.g., gender, distress caused by personal problems), showing that the crisis measures have incremental predictive value ( Lass-Hennemann et al, 2023 ). However, self-efficacy and, though to a lesser extent, expressive flexibility were associated with better mental health.…”