Adolescent Orphans Research Articles

Needs and Problems of Adolescent Orphans at Governmental Residential Institutions in Alexandria

Needs and Problems of Adolescent Orphans at Governmental Residential Institutions in Alexandria

Evaluation of Anxiety and Depression Among Orphan and Non-Orphan Adolescents in a Rural Residential School of Maharashtra

Abstract Background: Adolescence marks a critical stage of development characterized by profound physical, emotional, and social changes. This study explores the prevalence of anxiety and depression among orphan and non-orphan adolescents in a rural residential school setting, aiming to identify associated factors. Method: A community-based cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 100 adolescents (50 orphans and 50 non-orphans) aged 10-19 years in Warudi, Jalna from August 10 to October 10, 2022. Institutional ethical approval and written informed consent were obtained. Data collection included DSM-5 criteria for anxiety and depression assessment, using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Additional parameters assessed were sleep disturbances, academic performance, social interactions, duration of stay in the residential school, and type of orphanhood. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 21, with qualitative parameters presented as percentages and the chi-square test used for comparisons (p<0.05 considered significant). Result: The study revealed notable disparities in mental health outcomes between orphan and non-orphan adolescents. Orphans, predominantly categorized as double orphans (54%), exhibited higher prevalence rates of anxiety (46%) and depression (30%) compared to non-orphans (anxiety 14%, depression 12%). Factors such as prolonged stays in residential schools and the duration of orphanhood were significantly associated with heightened levels of anxiety and depression among orphans. Conclusion: Orphan adolescents residing in rural residential school face significantly elevated risks of anxiety and depression compared to their non-orphan peers. The findings highlight the urgent need for targeted psychological support and interventions tailored to the unique challenges of orphanhood, including the prolonged institutional care and the emotional impact of parental loss. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to assess the effectiveness of interventions and track mental health trajectories over time.

Assessment of prevalence and determinants of anxiety and psychological distress symptoms in Ebola child and adolescent survivors and orphans in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundTo date, only three studies investigated the mental health of youth affected by Ebola virus disease (EVD). None explored anxiety and psychological distress symptoms in survivors or orphans. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and determinants of anxiety and psychological distress symptoms among survivors and orphans of the 2018–2020 Ebola epidemic in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsA representative sample of 416 participants (mean age = 13.37, SD = 2.79, 51.20 % girls, 146 survivors, 233 orphans, and 34 orphan-survivor participants) completed measures evaluating anxiety, psychological distress, exposure, resilience, stigmatization related to Ebola and COVID-19. Results55.88 % and 55.96 % of survivors and orphans experienced severe symptoms of anxiety and psychological distress. Participants who were both survivors and orphans presented higher prevalence of anxiety and psychological distress (94.12 % and 100 %) compared to survivors (74.03 % and 81.82 %) or orphans (37.99 % and 33.33 %), χ2 = 70.63, p < .001; χ2 = 113.50, p < .001. Ebola and COVID-19 related stigmatization were the most important determinants of anxiety (B = 0.40, p < .001; B = 0.37, p < .001) and psychological distress (B = 0.48, p < .001; B = 0.44, p < .001). Resilience was negatively associated with both anxiety and psychological distress. The final regression models explained 49 % and 85 % of the variance of anxiety and psychological distress. LimitationsThe cross-sectional design used prevents to establish causal link. ConclusionsEbola children and adolescents' survivors and orphans are at major risk of experiencing anxiety and psychological distress in Eastern RDC affected by years of armed conflict. Massive resources are needed to develop and implement programs to reduce stigma and support mental health.

Social Undermining and Aggression of Adolescents

The importance of understanding adolescent to make a productive citizen who can contribute for his/her family, society, overall the country, has been recognized by psychologists. The present study focused on social undermining and aggression of adolescents according to the types of adolescents and levels of education. Among the 144 adolescents (student respondents) included in this study 72 were orphans and 72 were non-orphan adolescents (each group constituted 36 secondary students and 36 college students). Bangla version of the Social Undermining Scale (Ilyas and Hossain 2007) and Bangla version of the Measure of Aggressive Behavior (MAB) scale (Rahman 2003) were used to measure social undermining and aggressive behavior of adolescents, respectively. The social undermining score clearly indicated that orphan adolescents were significantly of more social undermining (t = 5.32, df = 142, p &lt; .05) over non-orphan adolescents. However, there was no significant difference between secondary and college adolescents. On the other hand, orphan adolescents had significantly more aggression (t = 4.17, df = 142, p &lt; .05) over non-orphan adolescents and secondary adolescent students had significantly more aggression (t = 3.47, df = 142, p &lt; .05) than college adolescent students. Furthermore, the social undermining was positively correlated with aggression (r = .19, p &lt; .05). The Chittagong Univ. J. B. Sci., Vol. 10(1&amp;2):01-13, 2020.

Effects of stressful life events on suicide risk among orphaned and left-behind adolescents in China: The mediating roles of loneliness and subjective well-being

BackgroundResearch has established a link between stressful life events and suicide risk among adolescents, but limited attention has been directed towards vulnerable groups regarding the impact of such events on suicide risk. ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine the influence of stressful life events on suicide risk among orphaned and left-behind adolescents in China and to explore potential variations in this effect across different types of adolescents. MethodsParticipants were from four schools located in four counties with high HIV/AIDS infection rates in the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China. A sample of 1912 students were recruited, and 1524 responses were retained for analysis. Participants completed questionnaires assessing stressful life events, suicide risk, loneliness, and subjective well-being. Orphaned and left-behind adolescents were identified through demographic questions. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the mediating effects of loneliness and subjective well-being on the relationship between stressful life events and suicide risk, as well as to examine the moderating effect of adolescent type. ResultsStressful life events showed a significant positive association with suicide risk. Loneliness and subjective well-being played mediating roles in the relationship between stressful life events and suicide risk. Double and single orphans exhibited higher levels of loneliness and lower levels of subjective well-being. Moreover, stressful life events had a more pronounced effect on suicide risk among left-behind adolescents. ConclusionsStressful life events exerted a direct positive impact on suicide risk among adolescents, while also indirectly affecting suicide risk by elevating loneliness and diminishing subjective well-being. Adolescents who experienced parental bereavement were more susceptible to feelings of loneliness and unhappiness. However, left-behind adolescents demonstrated elevated suicide risk even when facing similar levels of stressful life events. The stress sensitization theory and the distinct effects of chronic and acute stressors may offer explanatory insights. Implications for practice were discussed.

Patterns of Family Upbringing and their Relationship to Social Isolation among Adolescent Orphan Students

The study aimed to identify the nature of the relationship between family upbringing patterns and social isolation among adolescent orphan students. The sample consisted of (370) male and female adolescent orphans. To achieve the objectives of the study, two scales were developed (the family upbringing patterns scale, and the social isolation scale), and their psychometric properties were verified. The results of the study showed: that the prevailing pattern of family upbringing among adolescent orphan students is the pattern of neglect, and that the level of all patterns was at medium level, and the results indicated that the level of social isolation was at medium level among the study sample. There was a positive, statistically significant relationship between the patterns of family upbringing (authoritarianism, overprotection, neglect and social isolation), while there was a negative relationship between the "democratic" family upbringing pattern and social isolation. In light of the results, the researchers suggested a number of recommendations, the most important of which are: The need to rebuild family communication channels for families of adolescent orphans, by activating psychological counseling programs for adolescent orphans by associations interested in their care, to reduce the level of social isolation to its lowest levels, and protect them from psychological and behavioral disorders.

Psychological hardiness and optimism: A study among orphans and non-orphans

The present study aims to assess the relationship between psychological hardiness and optimism among orphan and non-orphan adolescents and examines the significant differences among the orphan and non-orphan adolescents based on family setting and gender. The study was carried out, and responses were collected from 200 orphan and non-orphan population. Personal views survey III-R (PVS III-R) and Life Orientation Test-R (LOT-R) scales were used to gather the data. Correlation was employed to study the relationship between psychological hardiness and optimism. Independent sample t-test was used to assess differences within orphan and non-orphan adolescents in psychological hardiness and optimism. The result of the study showed a significant difference between orphan and non-orphan adolescents with regard to both psychological hardiness and optimism and also based on gender. The study’s findings indicated a positive correlation between the psychological hardiness and optimism among non-orphan adolescents. This is helpful in providing supportive environments including peer networks, mentorship, and counseling services, within orphanages on shaping coping mechanisms and future outlooks, with a focus on fostering resilience and optimism among children while addressing gender-specific challenges for psychological well-being.

Emotional and behavioural problems of orphan and non-orphan adolescents

Emotional and behavioural problems of orphan and non-orphan adolescents

THALASSEMIA LITERACY: INCREASING KNOWLEDGE OF ORPHAN ADOLESCENTS ON THALASSEMIA

Thalassemia is the most common monogenic disease in Asia, including Indonesia that causes burdens for the government, patients, and families. As the sixth most non-communicable disease, thalassemia utilized IDR 600 billion in 2022 for more than 300 thousand cases. With, 3.8% of Indonesians carrying a mutation of thalassemia on their globin gene, this economic burden is projected will increase if no actions are taken. On the other hand, child marriage is reported to increase every year, including among orphans. Without proper knowledge and genetic testing on thalassemia, child marriage might contribute to the increasing of thalassemia patients. Thus, increasing knowledge on thalassemia among orphan adolescents is important. This community development uses several methods, including seminar, discussion, book, and poster, targeting the orphan adolescents (n= 40) in Mojokerta, East Java. A questionnaire on thalassemia was used to measure the knowledge, before and after the activity. The results show that the respondents have a moderate knowledge about thalassemia (median= 4 (0-9)), and increase to median=9 (3-10)) after the activities (p&lt; 0.001). Even though overall knowledge is increased, several information including thalassemia is a genetic disease, not similar to blood cancer, not the only type of anemia (Q6), and how to diagnose thalassemia (Q9) still need to be emphasized. Taken together, direct and indirect approaches, such as seminar, discussion, book, and poster are effective in increasing thalassemia knowledge among orphan adolescents. These activities are more effective in targeting late adolescents, compared to early and middle adolescents. However, more effective methods are necessary to target Generation Z who are more familiar with the internet.

The level of antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among orphan children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Many children and adolescents living with HIV have ended up as orphans. Due to HIV taking away their parents leaves them deprived of their most important social network and support, which predisposes them to poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Various studies have shown poor adherence to ART among orphaned children and adolescents. This systematic review and meta-analysis, therefore, aims to determine the level of ART adherence among orphaned children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS. This PROSPERO registered review (CRD42022352867) included studies from PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, Africa Journal Online, and selected HIV/AIDS journals from data inception to June 01, 2022. We included articles published in all languages that report the prevalence of adherence to ART among children and adolescent orphans (single parent orphans and/or double orphans) living with HIV/AIDS. We excluded qualitative studies, case studies, opinion papers, and letters to editors. We used the random-effect model to calculate the pooled prevalence of ART adherence based on the highest prevalence provided by the various methods in a particular study. We used the Joanna Briggs Institute Appraisal tool for the prevalence study to evaluate for risk of bias in the included studies. The Egger's test was used to assess small study effects. Out of 1087 publications identified from the various databases, six met the selection criteria. The included six studies had a total 2013 orphans living with HIV/AIDS. The pooled prevalence of ART adherence was 78∙0% (95% Confidence Interval: 67.4-87.7; I2 = 82.92%, p<0∙001) and ranged between 7∙6% and >95%, using one of the following methods: pill count, caregiver's self-report, clinical attendance, and nevirapine plasma levels (above three μg/mL). The factors associated with adherence were pill burden, caregiver involvement, stunting, and caregiver relationship. There was a high level of heterogeneity in the finding. Approximately four fifth of orphan children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS adhere to ART. Strategies to improve adherence among this group should be prioritized, especially among the double orphaned children and adolescents.

Association between life satisfaction, problem behaviours and psychological distress in orphaned adolescents: Exploring gender and orphanhood type discrepancies

AbstractBereavement of one or both parents is known to cause many kinds of internalizing and externalizing problems in adolescents. However, less is known about factors that are protective of the mental health of orphaned adolescents and differences by their gender and orphanhood type. To fill these gaps, the current study used a sample from southwestern China to test the association between types of orphans, life satisfaction, adolescents' psychological distress and problem behaviours. The results showed that orphan girls were prone to have lower levels of problem behaviours but higher levels of psychological distress than orphan boys. Female paternal orphans tended to have the highest psychological distress, while male paternal orphans tended to have the lowest psychological distress. In addition, school satisfaction had a stronger association with problem behaviour, and self‐satisfaction had a stronger association with psychological distress. Interventions and preventive measures aimed at reducing the psychological distress of orphans could benefit from the findings regarding the correlates of psychological distress and the most vulnerable group among orphans.

Academic Challenges Faced by Adolescent Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Manicaland Province in Zimbabwe

This study examined the academic challenges faced by adolescent orphans and vulnerable learners from child-headed households attending secondary schools in Zimbabwe’s Manicaland Province. Learners from homes without parents are becoming more and more prevalent, but no one has yet taken notice of them. Using Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of human learning as the theoretical lens, the researchers scrutinized the phenomenon. Thirty participants were chosen from four secondary schools in the Chimanimani District for the qualitative research study. In-depth data about the academic challenges faced by adolescents who are orphans and vulnerable children was generated through focus group interviews. The thematic approach was employed in the analysis of data and invaluable themes were identified. Ultimately, the study’s conclusions were as follows; facilitators and learners need constant motivation, parents can help supervise learners’ work, and teachers should have access to professional development opportunities. The results indicate that in order to guarantee high-quality instruction, guidance and counseling teachers should receive support and opportunity for ongoing professional development. By utilizing learner-centered methodologies, the teaching and learning process should integrate learners’ real-world experiences to improve the learners’ comprehension of the learning materials covered in class.

Developmental Challenges Faced by Adolescent Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Chimanimani District in Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe

Background: African communities established strong family support systems because they considered children as the future of their civilizations and an essential component of humankind. The family structure in Zimbabwe has changed as a result of the severe effects of pandemic diseases and the country’s economic collapse from 2009 to 2022. In Zimbabwe, children were often expected to be cared for by adults and community members closest to their immediate family. The inquiry is based on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory. Aims: The study investigated the psychosocial consequences of poverty on rural Zimbabwean learners from child-headed households who are lagging behind in their learning. The study also target to generate recommendations based on the research findings. Sample: Through purposive sampling, a sample of 32 research participants comprising 16 learners, eight teachers, four school administrators and four members of the School Development Committees was selected. The sample members were in one way or the other connected to the issues regarding the challenges experienced by secondary school learners from child-headed families. Methods: The study was qualitative in nature. The phenomenological research design, which was couched in an interpretive research paradigm, was employed. Data was collected using in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and document analysis. Results: It emerged from the study that learners from child-headed homes found it exceedingly difficult to support their daily needs. Children in such homes lack a sense of childhood security and are subjected to emotional, social, and psychological stress. The majority of learners’ obligations are handled at home, putting them vulnerable to social isolation, poverty, and the formation of an atmosphere that does not support academic brilliance. Conclusion: In light of the research findings, it was concluded that communities, instructors, and peers be mindful of treating learners from child-headed households with dignity because they are human beings and resources for the nation. They should avoid cultural perspectives that increase marginalization and segregation of these learners.

Health of Indigenous Orphans and Carers in Perú: A Mixed Methods Case Study of Hogar de Niñas Virgen de Fatima

The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a devastating blow to the social fabric of Perú, with the highest orphans per death (OPD) ratio of any country in Latin America. Therefore, 260,000 orphans now require care because of 216,000 parent, custodial grandparent, and caregiver deaths between 2020 and 2022. The purpose of this research is to examine whether the practice of Transcendental Meditation, an established technique for improving the mental and physical health of children, can reasonably be expected to alleviate the symptoms of trauma associated with this surge in orphanhood. Adolescent indigenous female orphans and their carers at Hogar de Niñas Virgen de Fatima de Chejoña, a residential care shelter near Puno in the country’s southeast, participated voluntarily in this mixed methods case study. Following a Type-2 case study structure, the research design details the context, case, embedded units of analysis, and methodological approaches used to measure them. Three research modules were designed to explore: 1) orphan and carer health, personal relations, behavior, sense of safety and security, and view of the future; 2) health and school performance of orphans; and 3) depression, anxiety, and stress of both orphans and carers. The mixed methods approach used to gather and interrogate data derived from these orphans and carers before and after instruction in Transcendental Meditation included: structured interviews to determine the direction before and after change (qualitative module one); a vernacular paper-and-pencil test to measure physical, cognitive, and emotional health and school performance after instruction (quantitative module two); and a standardized test instrument to measure depression, anxiety, and stress in orphans and carers after instruction (quantitative module three). Findings include self-report changes in orphans from feelings of fear, nervousness, and hopelessness to feelings of greater confidence, assurance, and a sense of achievement (module one); a significant difference between the number of orphans who reported improvements in health and school performance and those who did not receive Transcendental Meditation (module two); and higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress in orphans than other comparative girls (module three). Despite limited carer data, the diverse sources of evidence for orphans, when considered in combination, suggest Transcendental Meditation may have salutarily improved both the present and future lives of girls in Perú.

Effects of Poverty on the Educational Attainment of Adolescent Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Chimanimani District, Manicaland Province in Zimbabwe

The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of poverty on the educational attainment of adolescent orphans and vulnerable children in Chimanimani District, Manicaland Province in Zimbabwe. The contention of the study is that African communities establish strong family support systems because they consider children as the future of their survival. In Zimbabwe, children are often expected to be cared for by their immediate family members and community members close to their immediate family. In this study, qualitative research approaches were employed to explored effects of poverty on learners from households with children as primary caregivers. Using qualitative study approach, the study purposively sampled learners, teachers and parents from Chimanimani District. A qualitative phenomenological methodology was used to conduct interviews, focus group interviews, and document analysis. The study used Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory lenses to understand the phenomena understudy. It was discovered that learners from parentless homes lack a sense of childhood security and are subjected to emotional, social, and psychological stress. The study recommends that communities, instructors, and peers treat learners from child-headed households with dignity and avoid marginalization and segregation of these learners.

EMPOWERING ADOLESCENTS IN ORPHANAGES: UNVEILING LIFE MEANING THROUGH IKIGAI TRAINING

The challenges faced by adolescents growing up in orphanages have provided valuable life lessons and shaped their identities across physical, psychological, spiritual, and social dimensions. However, many orphaned teenagers experience a sense of meaninglessness due to the loss of hope for developing into quality individuals. This issue poses risks to their daily living necessities. Therefore, the provision of a tool, such as IKIGAI training, is essential to facilitate orphaned adolescents in finding meaning in life. The aim of this research is to assess the effectiveness of IKIGAI training in discovering life meaning among adolescents in the Salatiga orphanage. The research employs a quantitative experimental design with a one-group pretest-posttest design. Ten participants from the Salatiga orphanage were involved using purposive sampling. The study includes an IKIGAI training module and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) to measure pretest and posttest values of life meaning. Data analysis involves the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. The results demonstrate that IKIGAI training effectively assists orphaned adolescents in finding meaning in life (Z value of 2.848 and significance of 0.000; p &lt; 0.05). This indicates that the discovery of life's meaning is crucial for adolescents, contributing to a sense of worth, creative life values, learning from past experiences, and planning future life goals a significance attributed to the application of IKIGAI in daily life.

Mental health and decision-making participation of adolescent orphans: A pilot study

Background: Mental health has been brought to attention lately, with the increase of mental health problems during adolescence. In Indonesia, it is reported that one-third of adolescents develop mental health disorders. Childhood grief, separation from the family, child labor, or abuse affect the orphans’ mental health, including their decision-making participation. Purpose: As a pilot study, this study would like to investigate the mental health conditions and decision-making participation among orphans in one orphanage in Mojokerto district, East Java, Indonesia.Methods: This cross-sectional study utilizes the Depression Anxiety Scale Youth version (DASS-Y) and Child and Adolescent Participation in Decision Making Questionnaire (CAP-DMQ). Thirty-five adolescent orphans of one orphanage in Mojokerto were recruited using convenience sampling. The frequency of respondents’ mental health and decision-making participation were measured, and the mean differences between each group of sociodemographic factors were measured using the Mann-Whitney U test or the Kruskal Wallis test. Association between mental health and decision-making participation was calculated using Chi-square test.Results: The results show that 40% of respondents were categorized as having mild mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and stress. Mental health problems are mostly found in males (22.90%) and elementary school (20%). The participation of the orphans in decision-making is considered good, with a median of 25.5. The bivariate analysis concludes the association between anxiety, age, grade, and decision-making participation (p= 0.024, p= 0.029, p=0.029, respectively).Conclusion: Taken together, attention to orphans, especially adolescents, and their problems are necessary to reduce the health discrepancies within these vulnerable groups. Broader respondents are needed to understand the complete picture of mental health conditions among Indonesian adolescent orphans, including late adolescents.

Dimensions of the KidCope and their associations with mental health outcomes in Tanzanian adolescent orphans

ABSTRACT Background Adverse life experiences require a broader range of adaptive behavioral strategies to cope with related stressors. The association between intensity, duration, type of stress and impacts on mental health is important for effective programming aimed at increasing resilience in the face of stress. This study examines adverse life experiences, coping strategies, and associations with mental health outcomes among very young adolescent orphans. Methods The analytic sample was collected between January and March of 2019 and included 350 adolescent orphans ages 10–15 years old from three districts in Tanzania. Participants completed survey interviews, 75–90 minutes in length, that measured adverse life experiences, stigma, coping strategies, and psychological symptoms. Results A four-factor dimensional structure of the KidCope survey fits these data and distinguished between distraction and resignation coping strategies. Use of distraction as a coping dimension was the most frequently used coping dimension and was associated with lower reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, and externalizing behaviors. Resignation was positively associated with adverse life experiences including emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect. Problem-focused coping was not associated with study outcomes and social support coping was associated with externalizing behaviors only. Conclusion Results from adolescent orphans in a low-resource context suggest that distraction coping strategies may be adaptive in response to stress. Implications for intervention programming that aims to target acquisition of coping skills and mindsets among vulnerable populations are discussed.

Correlation of social support with the incidence of depression in orphaned adolescents living in orphanages

Correlation of social support with the incidence of depression in orphaned adolescents living in orphanages

Prevalence and Factors Related to Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Depression Symptoms Among Children and Adolescents Survivors and Orphans of Ebola Virus Disease in Democratic Republic of the Congo Eastern Regions During the COVID-19 Pandemic

PurposeAlthough previous studies have shown a high prevalence of mental health problems among adult Ebola virus disease survivors, no studies have yet been conducted on mental health problems among children and adolescents in affected regions. Consequently, the current study aimed to examine the prevalence and factors associated with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among children and adolescent survivors and orphans by utilizing a cross-sectional survey following the 2018–2020 epidemic in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. MethodsA total of 146 survivors (mean age = 13.62, standard deviation [SD] = 2.50, 49.32% female), 233 orphans (mean age = 13.18, SD = 2.96, 53.32% female), and 34 orphan-survivor participants (mean age = 13.39, SD = 2.87, 44.12% female) were recruited. Participants completed measures assessing depression and PTSD symptoms, traumatic experiences, and stigma related to Ebola and COVID-19. ResultsThe prevalence of depression and PTSD symptoms was 87.32% and 44.42%, respectively. Results showed significant differences in depression and PTSD symptoms between orphan-survivors (100% and 97.06%), survivors (90.21% and 75.86%), and orphans (83.48% and 16.52%; χ2(2) = 9.02; p = .011 and χ2(2) = 168.85; p < .001). Experience of traumatic events, Ebola stigmatization, and COVID-19 stigmatization positively predicted depression and PTSD symptoms. The regression models explained 61%–72% of the variance of depression and PTSD. DiscussionThe results reveal that the Ebola virus disease and its associated grief severely jeopardize the mental health of children and adolescents in affected regions. Despite the relative paucity of resources, intervention programs may be helpful to minimize associated stigma and promote psychological support.