- While COVID-19 physically affects more adults than children, mental health has increased in all age groups.
- Children between the ages of 5 and 17 have sought help with mental health problems at much higher rates in 2020.
- However, a new study found that children with pre-existing mental health problems had reduced symptoms at the onset of blockages.
While the physical effects of COVID-19 have dominated headlines over the past 13 months, the effects on mental health are considered a simultaneous pandemic that could last longer than the virus. Children were generally resistant to the new coronavirus (although at least one variant is stronger in this demographic). In terms of depression and anxiety, however, children are on a par with adults.
Emergency hospital visits for mental health problems in the 12-17 age group have increased by 31% since the pandemic began. Younger children did a little better: a 24% increase for children aged 5 to 11 years. In Germany, one in three children has suffered from anxiety or depression in the past year. In addition, children have learning difficulties in distance learning environments.
However, at least one demographic worked better than normal, at least in the early stages of blockages. According to a new study, published in Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, middle school children from a predominantly latinx community with higher-than-normal levels of mental distress experienced a reduction in symptoms.
Children with previous mental health problems have seen reduced internalization (behaviors including withdrawal, nervousness, loneliness, unwillingness, or sadness), outsourcing (behaviors that include lying, irresponsible behavior, breaking the law, or displaying remorse) and other problems.
Those without mental health problems also benefited, at least in terms of internalizing and overall behavior; there was no change in attentional issues or outsourcing.
Researchers began tracking 322 children (average age 12) in January 2020, before the pandemic broke out in America. They were studied until May 2020. Although this is only a period of blockage, lead author Carla Sharp, a professor of psychology at the University of Houston, says the results have important clinical implications.
“First, promoting family functioning during COVID-19 can help protect or improve the mental health of young people during a pandemic. In addition, it is important to consider cultural factors, such as familism and collectivism in Latinx communities, that may cushion the early effects of mental health on COVID-19 stress. ”
Seven-year-old Hamza Haqqani, a second-year student at Al-Huda Academy, uses a computer to attend an e-learning class with his teacher and colleagues while at home on May 1, 2020. in Bartlett, Illinois.Photo by Scott Olson / Getty Images
Many have condemned what we have lost in the last year. Indeed, the problems are many and complex. However, we have also seen reductions in environmental damage (including noise pollution) and increased savings. We also have a greater awareness of how factory farming helps the spread of viruses. And, despite the obvious challenges of earning a living with so many businesses and industries closed, this time it gave some the opportunity to reconnect with their families.
The study’s co-author, Jessica Hernandez Ortiz, says the research could inspire new ways to address mental health issues in children.
“Our findings highlight the importance of the family environment and the Latinx collectivist values of community connection to promote children’s resilience and bring to the forefront the possibility of school environments exacerbating mental health difficulties. Removal from this context in a less pressured environment has an immediate and positive impact on mental health. “
As the study ended shortly after the pandemic, the novelty of family reunification could have diminished as families became economically tense and realized that spending time together was more imposing than originally thought. That being said, humans are social animals that require regular contact with family and colleagues. The last group may not have been available, but at least for some children, their families filled in the gaps, especially for those who did not thrive in a traditional school environment.
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