Adolescents' longitudinal trajectories of mental health and loneliness: The impact of COVID-19 school closures.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Longitudinal research examining the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) school closures on the mental health of adolescents is scarce. Prolonged periods of physical and social isolation because of such restrictions may have impacted heavily on adolescents' mental health and loneliness.

Methods

The current study addresses a major gap by examining the impact of school closures on the mental health and loneliness of 785, 10- to 17-year-old Western Australian adolescents (mean age = 14.1, SD = 1.31), who were surveyed across four time points: twice before COVID-19, once as schools closed, and once post reopening of schools. Pre- and post-COVID-19 changes in mental health and loneliness were compared using linear mixed models. Random intercept cross-lagged

SUBMITTER: Houghton S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9087620 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature