Abstract
BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic may have multifarious adverse effects on the mental health of some youth. To our knowledge, no study has followed young people beyond the first 6 months of the pandemic outbreak. The aim of this study was to examine 1) Change in internalizing, externalizing, and total mental health problems over two time-points with a nine-month interval during the COVID-19 outbreak and 2) Whether contextual and COVID-19-related factors contribute to change in mental health problems.MethodsYouth within the municipality of Bergen aged 11-19 years were invited via SMS to participate in an online survey in April and again in December 2020. A total of 2997 (40% response rate) youth participated at baseline in the present study, and 1598 (53.3%) completed the second survey. At baseline, the mean age was 16.0 (standard deviations 1.7) years, about 60% were girls, and 93% were born in Norway. Comparison across time was approached using inferential statistics and mixed linear models with maximum likelihood estimation and mixed-effects logistic regression models.ResultsThere was an overall increase in total mental health problems from the first weeks into lockdown to 9 months after the pandemic outbreak. The overall increase seems to be exclusively driven by internalizing difficulties, i.e., increases in emotional problems and peer problems. The level of externalizing difficulties, i.e., conduct problems and hyperactivity/inattention remained stable between the two time-points.ConclusionsOur results imply that in the wake of the pandemic, one should be aware of emerging mental health problems among presumably resilient youth, in addition to the more expected and pronounced mental health needs of vulnerable groups. Efforts to reach out to the general youth population with preventive measures in schools may be important actions to normalize the situation for young people, and to identify those in need of more targeted mental health interventions.
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic may have multifarious adverse effects on the mental health of some youth
Young people seem to be vulnerable to the impact of Lehmann et al BMC Psychiatry (2022) 22:67 measures on their mental health compared to older age groups [4, 5]
This study shows an overall increase in mental health problems from the first weeks into lockdown to 9 months after the pandemic outbreak
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic may have multifarious adverse effects on the mental health of some youth. No study has followed young people beyond the first 6 months of the pandemic outbreak. It is unclear to which degree and in what way the disease-suppressive measures are affecting young people’s mental health in the short and long term [6, 7]. We investigate changes in youth mental health problems during the Covid-19 pandemic from April to December 2020 in Norway. Digital home-schooling and the closing of organized leisure activities were among the measures most immediately affecting their everyday life. From March to December 2020, a repeated combination of national, municipal, and local measures caused interferences in everyday life of youth, with a decrease and unpredictability in social contact, physical school attendance, and access to leisure activities
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
