Youth Mental Health in Times of Global Crises: Evidence from the Longitudinal COPSY Study

21 Pages Posted: 4 Dec 2024

See all articles by Anne Kaman

Anne Kaman

University of Hamburg - Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics

Janine Devine

University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf - Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics

Michael Erhart

University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf - Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics

Ann-Kathrin Napp

University of Hamburg - Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics

Franziska Reiss

University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf

Sophie Moeller

University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf

Fionna Zoellner

University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf

Steven Behn

University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf

Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer

University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf - Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics

Date Written: October 09, 2024

Abstract

Background: Multiple global crises such as climate change, pandemics, wars, and economic crises are major challenges of our time, confronting children and adolescents in a vulnerable phase of their development. The aim of this population-based longitudinal study was to investigate changes in youth mental health in times of global crises and the effects of crises-related fears on mental health.

Methods: Data on n = 2,671 families with children and adolescents aged 7 to 21 years (including n = 1,833 self-reports) who participated in at least one wave of the population-based COPSY study (T1: 05/2020 to T6: 10/2023) were analyzed. Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression analyses were used to investigate changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL), mental health problems, depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as associations with crises-related future anxiety.

Results: HRQoL and mental health of children and adolescents significantly deteriorated during the pandemic in 2020/21 compared to pre-pandemic data. Mental health improved in the following years, but one out of five children still reported low HRQoL, mental health problems and anxiety in 2023. In autumn 2023, crises-related worries and anxiety about the future were reported by the majority of children and adolescents. These were associated with a higher risk of low HRQoL, mental health problems, depressive and anxiety symptoms (ORs = 1.2 to 2.4).

Conclusion: Multiple global crises are associated with significant changes in the mental health of young people. They need to be supported in coping with these crises through prevention and intervention programs.

Suggested Citation

Kaman, Anne and Devine, Janine and Erhart, Michael and Napp, Ann-Kathrin and Reiss, Franziska and Moeller, Sophie and Zoellner, Fionna and Behn, Steven and Ravens-Sieberer, Ulrike, Youth Mental Health in Times of Global Crises: Evidence from the Longitudinal COPSY Study (October 09, 2024). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=5043077 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5043077

Anne Kaman (Contact Author)

University of Hamburg - Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics ( email )

Germany

Janine Devine

University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf - Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics ( email )

Germany

Michael Erhart

University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf - Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics ( email )

Germany

Ann-Kathrin Napp

University of Hamburg - Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics

Franziska Reiss

University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf ( email )

Hamburg
Germany

Sophie Moeller

University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf ( email )

Fionna Zoellner

University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf ( email )

Steven Behn

University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf ( email )

Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer

University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf - Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics ( email )

Germany

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