Screening for anxiety and its determinants among secondary school students during the COVID-19 era: a snapshot from Qatar in 2021

Abstract

Background Anxiety among adolescents may lead to disability and has a tremendous impact on one’s quality of life. The alarming COVID-19 pandemic is expected to increase the anxiety level of adolescents especially with enforced governmental management strategies. This study will assess anxiety symptoms among secondary school students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Qatar. Methods We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study among adolescents attending independent secondary schools in Qatar. First, potential participants were invited through Microsoft teams. Next, a total of 750 participants were assessed through the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) tool. We then conducted descriptive analyses and the Chi-square test to examine significant determinants of anxiety, which was followed by logistic regression analysis. In the end, the scale was tested for its internal consistency using Cronbach’s alpha. Results Anxiety symptoms were seen in 37.2% of the participants. Female gender, previous history of mental illness, comorbidities, permissive parenting style, and spending more than 12 h per day on the internet were significant determinants of anxiety. Furthermore, a previous history of mental illness, low perceived social support, isolation, and social distancing predicted anxiety. Conclusions Anxiety is common among secondary school students in Qatar, and preventive interventions must target the determinants, especially during a pandemic.

Adolescents’ Perceived Changes in Internalizing Symptoms during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Father Internalizing Symptoms and Parent Support in Germany and Slovakia

“…Extant literature on parent-child relationships during the pandemic may explain why parental support plays a protective role during the pandemic. For example, higher levels of parental support are associated with lower levels of internalizing symptoms among adolescents across various cultural contexts (e.g., [69] in Qatar; [70] in Poland). Other researchers have documented decreases in parental support and positive parenting compared to before the COVID-19 outbreak, but they have also documented simultaneous declines in negative parent-child interactions [37].…”