Mental Health Problems are Doubling Due to the Pandemic

There is a surge in Mental crises in children and adolescents. They are experiencing a global-wide Mental crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was published in the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics.The study is a meta-analysis, pooling together data from 29 separate studies from around the world, including 80,879 youth globally. The new study shows that depression and anxiety symptoms have doubled in children and adolescents when compared to pre-pandemic times.

Dr Nicole Racine, PhD postdoctoral associate, clinical psychologist and lead author of the paper said that the estimates show that one in four youth globally are experiencing clinically elevated depression symptoms while one in five has clinically elevated anxiety symptoms.The UCalgary study incorporates 16 studies from East Asia, four from Europe, six from North America, two from Central and South America and one from the Middle East also shows that older adolescents and girls are experiencing the highest levels of depression and anxiety.

Dr Sheri Madigan, PhD, co-author of the paper, a UCalgary clinical psychologist and Canada Research Chair in Determinants of Child Development said that know from other studies that rates of depression and anxiety in youth tend to ebb and flow with restrictions. When more restrictions are imposed, rates go up. The Mental crisis surged for being socially isolated, kept away from their friends, their school routines, and social interactions has proven to be hard on kids.

Racine said that the older teens, in particular, have missed out on significant life events such as graduations, sporting events and various coming of age activities. These kids didn’t imagine that when they graduated, they’d never get to say goodbye to their school, their teachers or their friends, and now they’re moving on to something new, with zero closure.