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

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.