The course of children's mental health symptoms during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic is associated with increases in child mental health problems, but the persistence of these changes in the post-pandemic era remains uncertain. Additionally, it is unclear whether changes in mental health problems during the pandemic exceed the anticipated increases as children age. This study controls for the linear effect of age in 1399 children, investigating the course of child-reported anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, and inattention symptoms during and after the pandemic, and identifies risk and protective factors that predict these mental health trajectories.

Methods

Children (51% male; ages 9-11 at the first timepoint) provided mental health ratings at three pandemic timepoints (July-August 2020; March-April 2021; November 2021-Janu

SUBMITTER: Park JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11496214 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature