Adolescents perception of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and associated mental health and well-being: gender, age and socioeconomic differences in 22 countries.

COVID-19 measures HBSC Life satisfaction Loneliness Mental health Multiple health complaints Well-being

Journal

Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health
ISSN: 1753-2000
Titre abrégé: Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101297974

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
18 Jul 2024
Historique:
received: 30 11 2023
accepted: 08 07 2024
medline: 19 7 2024
pubmed: 19 7 2024
entrez: 18 7 2024
Statut: epublish

Résumé

The COVID-19-pandemic has had a profound impact on the lives of adolescents worldwide. This study examined the subjective perception of the COVID-19 pandemic measures and its association with mental health and well-being (i.e., loneliness, life satisfaction and multiple health complaints) among 13- and 15-years-old adolescents from 22 countries. Data from the cross-national Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) 2021/22 study were used from representative samples of 22 countries (N = 67,544; 51.9% girls). The self-perceived impact of COVID-19 measure comprised 10 items asking about the impact on several dimensions of adolescent lives (e.g., relationships with family and friends, health, or eating behaviours). Measures of loneliness, multiple health complaints, and life satisfaction were included as indicators of mental health and well-being. A non-parametric multilevel latent class analysis considering individual and country-levels was conducted to identify classes of self-perceived impact of the COVID-19 measures. Multilevel logistic regression models adjusted by age and socioeconomic status were applied to assess the association between COVID-19 measure impact classes and mental health. Three classes were identified on individual level encompassing a neutral (51%), positive (31%), or negative (18%) perception of COVID-19 measures. A third of the adolescents reported a positive impact of the pandemic measures. The distribution of classes was heterogeneous within and across countries. Within the positive COVID-19 measure impact class, social relationships were the most important dimension, whereas mental health problems were mostly represented within the negative COVID-19 measure impact class. Girls with a negative perception of pandemic measures showed higher levels of loneliness and multiple health complaints and lower life satisfaction. 15-year-old adolescents and those with a low socioeconomic status reported higher levels of loneliness and lower life satisfaction. The majority of adolescents perceived the pandemic measures as neutral or positive. Girls, 15-year-old adolescents, and those with low socioeconomic status were at higher risk of suffering from pandemic measures and associated problems of loneliness, multiple health complaints, and low life satisfaction. We conclude that adolescent's mental health and well-being should be considered in the decision-making process by ensuring that the unique challenges of adolescents are adequately addressed in policies.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
The COVID-19-pandemic has had a profound impact on the lives of adolescents worldwide. This study examined the subjective perception of the COVID-19 pandemic measures and its association with mental health and well-being (i.e., loneliness, life satisfaction and multiple health complaints) among 13- and 15-years-old adolescents from 22 countries.
METHODS METHODS
Data from the cross-national Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) 2021/22 study were used from representative samples of 22 countries (N = 67,544; 51.9% girls). The self-perceived impact of COVID-19 measure comprised 10 items asking about the impact on several dimensions of adolescent lives (e.g., relationships with family and friends, health, or eating behaviours). Measures of loneliness, multiple health complaints, and life satisfaction were included as indicators of mental health and well-being. A non-parametric multilevel latent class analysis considering individual and country-levels was conducted to identify classes of self-perceived impact of the COVID-19 measures. Multilevel logistic regression models adjusted by age and socioeconomic status were applied to assess the association between COVID-19 measure impact classes and mental health.
RESULTS RESULTS
Three classes were identified on individual level encompassing a neutral (51%), positive (31%), or negative (18%) perception of COVID-19 measures. A third of the adolescents reported a positive impact of the pandemic measures. The distribution of classes was heterogeneous within and across countries. Within the positive COVID-19 measure impact class, social relationships were the most important dimension, whereas mental health problems were mostly represented within the negative COVID-19 measure impact class. Girls with a negative perception of pandemic measures showed higher levels of loneliness and multiple health complaints and lower life satisfaction. 15-year-old adolescents and those with a low socioeconomic status reported higher levels of loneliness and lower life satisfaction.
CONCLUSIONS CONCLUSIONS
The majority of adolescents perceived the pandemic measures as neutral or positive. Girls, 15-year-old adolescents, and those with low socioeconomic status were at higher risk of suffering from pandemic measures and associated problems of loneliness, multiple health complaints, and low life satisfaction. We conclude that adolescent's mental health and well-being should be considered in the decision-making process by ensuring that the unique challenges of adolescents are adequately addressed in policies.

Identifiants

pubmed: 39026340
doi: 10.1186/s13034-024-00779-z
pii: 10.1186/s13034-024-00779-z
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Pagination

86

Informations de copyright

© 2024. The Author(s).

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Auteurs

Franziska Reiss (F)

Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. f.reiss@uke.de.

Alina Cosma (A)

Department of Sociology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.

Michela Bersia (M)

Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.

Michael Erhart (M)

Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Alice-Salomon University, Berlin, Germany.

Paola Dalmasso (P)

Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.

Janine Devine (J)

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

Sabina Hulbert (S)

Centre for Health Services Studies, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.

Carolina Catunda (C)

Department of Social Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.

Inese Gobina (I)

Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Riga Stradiņš University, Riga, Latvia.
Education and Research Unit, Childrens' Clinical University Hospital, Riga, Latvia.

Ariela Giladi (A)

Faculty of Education, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Department of Education, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel.

Helena Jeriček Klanšček (H)

National Institute of Public Health, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer (U)

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

Classifications MeSH