Mental Health of Children and Adolescents Amidst COVID 19 and Past Pandemics: A Rapid Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: The COVID 19 pandemic and associated public health measures have disrupted the lives of people around the world. It is already evident that the direct and indirect psychological and social effects of the COVID 19 pandemic are insidious and affect the mental health of young children and adolescents now and will in the future. The aim and objectives of this knowledge-synthesis study were to identify the impact of the pandemic on children’s and adolescent’s mental health and to evaluate the effectiveness of different interventions employed during previous and the current pandemic to promote children’s and adolescent’s mental health. Methodology: We conducted the systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and included experimental randomized, nonrandomized controlled trials; observational studies; and qualitative studies. Results: Of the 5,828 articles that we retrieved, 18 articles met the inclusion criteria. We thematically analyzed and put up the major findings under the thematic areas of impact of pandemic on children and adolescent’s mental health. These studies reported that pandemics cause stress, worry, helplessness, and social and risky behavioral problems among children and adolescents (e.g., substance abuse, suicide, relationship problems, academic issues, absenteeism from work). Interventions such as art-based programs, support services, and clinician-led mental health and psychosocial services effectively decrease mental health issues among children and adolescents. Conclusion: Children and adolescents are more likely to experience high rates of depression and anxiety during and after a pandemic. It is critical that future researchers explore effective mental health strategies that are tailored to the needs of children and adolescents. Explorations of effective channels regarding the development and delivery of evidence-based, age-appropriate services are vital to lessen the effects and improve long-term capacities for mental health services for children and adolescents.

The Prevalence of Mental Problems for Chinese Children and Adolescents During COVID-19 in China: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…A survey conducted in the United States found that 40.1% of parents reported observing signs of distress in their children, which seemed higher than in China. Recently, a rapid systematic review of the mental problem showed that children and adolescents are more likely to suffer a high prevalence of depression and anxiety problem during a pandemic (28). The impact of the pandemic on the mental health of children and adolescents is inevitable.…”

Factors Associated with Anxiety-Related Disorders in Children and Adolescents during COVID-19 in Oman: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in children and adolescents experiencing unprecedented interruptions to their daily lives, which are likely to precipitate poor mental health outcomes [ 8 ]. Studies carried out in different parts of the world during the pandemic strongly suggest this outcome, with the assumption that enforced social isolation is adversely impacting children's psychological functioning which is, in turn, conventionally manifesting as anxiety-related disorders [ 6,7,8,10,11 ]. Therefore, the present study has been conducted to investigate the prevalence rate of anxiety-related disorders in the children and adolescents of Oman during the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

“…Second, according to regression analysis family income was signi cant. Some studies suggest that the pandemic disproportionately affects children who are at a socio-economic disadvantage [ 47,8 ]. In support of such a view, the present study showed that there is an association with the higher SCARED score in children and adolescents of families with low socio-economic status (speci cally, those with a family income below 1,999 USD per month).…”

Ethical considerations regarding the effects of climate change and planetary health on children

“…15 These weather events threaten children with injury, loss or separation from their care givers, exposure to infectious illnesses and the psychological trauma of having survived these events. 1,18,23 Over half a billion children live in areas of extreme flood risk, while more than 160 million children live in extreme drought zones (Fig. 4).…”