Adolescent well-being amid the COVID-19 pandemic: Are girls struggling more than boys?
COVID‐19
adolescence
depressive symptoms
gender
mental health
pandemic
social media
Journal
JCPP advances
ISSN: 2692-9384
Titre abrégé: JCPP Adv
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 9918250414706676
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Jul 2021
Jul 2021
Historique:
received:
26
02
2021
accepted:
02
07
2021
entrez:
13
9
2021
pubmed:
14
9
2021
medline:
14
9
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Differential effects of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic and associated public restrictions on adolescent girls and boys are emerging but have not been elucidated. This study examined gender differences across broad indicators of adolescent well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iceland, and explored potential explanations for these differences. In total, 523 youth (56.5% girls) born in Iceland in 2004 completed measures on mental health problems (depressive symptoms, anger and suicide attempts) and measures designed for this study to assess broad indicators of adolescent well-being (e.g., day-to-day life, academic performance, family and peer relationships, and mental and physical health) and behavioral changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health problems during the pandemic were compared to expected scores based on nationwide ratings of same-aged peers in 2018. Although both boys and girls appeared affected, girls reported a greater negative impact across all the broad indicators of well-being and behavioral change during COVID-19 than boys, and their depressive symptoms were above and beyond the expected nationwide scores ( Adolescents were broadly negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying restrictions; however, this negative impact was more pronounced in girls. The findings suggest that a steady routine and remaining socially connected may help youth cope with the uncertainty and social restrictions associated with a pandemic. Moreover, healthcare providers, teachers, and other professionals should pay close attention to depressive symptoms among girls during a pandemic.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Differential effects of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic and associated public restrictions on adolescent girls and boys are emerging but have not been elucidated. This study examined gender differences across broad indicators of adolescent well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iceland, and explored potential explanations for these differences.
METHODS
METHODS
In total, 523 youth (56.5% girls) born in Iceland in 2004 completed measures on mental health problems (depressive symptoms, anger and suicide attempts) and measures designed for this study to assess broad indicators of adolescent well-being (e.g., day-to-day life, academic performance, family and peer relationships, and mental and physical health) and behavioral changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health problems during the pandemic were compared to expected scores based on nationwide ratings of same-aged peers in 2018.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Although both boys and girls appeared affected, girls reported a greater negative impact across all the broad indicators of well-being and behavioral change during COVID-19 than boys, and their depressive symptoms were above and beyond the expected nationwide scores (
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
Adolescents were broadly negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying restrictions; however, this negative impact was more pronounced in girls. The findings suggest that a steady routine and remaining socially connected may help youth cope with the uncertainty and social restrictions associated with a pandemic. Moreover, healthcare providers, teachers, and other professionals should pay close attention to depressive symptoms among girls during a pandemic.
Identifiants
pubmed: 34514467
doi: 10.1002/jcv2.12027
pii: JCV212027
pmc: PMC8420409
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Pagination
e12027Informations de copyright
© 2021 The Authors. JCPP Advances published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
The authors declare that there are no conflict of interests.
Références
Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2020 May 12;14:20
pubmed: 32419840
Child Abuse Negl. 2020 Dec;110(Pt 2):104680
pubmed: 32847679
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2020 Jun;29(6):737-738
pubmed: 32488455
Brain Behav Immun. 2020 Aug;88:36-38
pubmed: 32464156
Front Psychol. 2021 Mar 11;12:580511
pubmed: 33776827
Scand J Public Health. 2008 Jun;36(4):361-8
pubmed: 18539690
BMC Public Health. 2020 Sep 4;20(1):1351
pubmed: 32887592
J Epidemiol Glob Health. 2021 Mar;11(1):26-33
pubmed: 32959611
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2020 Jun;29(6):749-758
pubmed: 32363492
JCPP Adv. 2021 Jul;1(2):e12027
pubmed: 34514467
Lancet Psychiatry. 2020 Jul;7(7):567-568
pubmed: 32502467
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2021 Jul;30(7):1139-1140
pubmed: 32623697
BMC Psychiatry. 2012 Jun 27;12:69
pubmed: 22737989
Ann Clin Psychiatry. 1997 Dec;9(4):263-9
pubmed: 9511952
J Youth Adolesc. 2021 Jan;50(1):44-57
pubmed: 33108542
Arch Dis Child. 2021 Sep;106(9):918-919
pubmed: 33355154
Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2016 Jul 15;10:23
pubmed: 27429645
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2015 Mar;56(3):370-93
pubmed: 25496340
JAMA Pediatr. 2020 Sep 1;174(9):819-820
pubmed: 32286618
Eur J Public Health. 2017 Oct 1;27(5):856-861
pubmed: 28957485
Health Promot Pract. 2020 Jan;21(1):58-61
pubmed: 31841374
Sci Rep. 2020 Dec 11;10(1):21780
pubmed: 33311526
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2022 Jun;31(6):879-889
pubmed: 33492480
J Affect Disord. 2020 Oct 1;275:112-118
pubmed: 32658812
Lancet Psychiatry. 2021 Aug;8(8):663-672
pubmed: 34090582
Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1992 Jul;86(1):32-7
pubmed: 1414396
Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2020 Jul 6;17(1):85
pubmed: 32631350
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2021 Mar;56(3):519-529
pubmed: 33236265
Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2020 Aug;4(8):634-640
pubmed: 32540024