Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people with and without pre-existing mental health problems

Abstract

The objective was to examine pandemic-related changes in depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents and young adults in Germany considering pre-existing depression and anxiety problems. In this cross-sectional study, 11,523 adolescents and young adults aged 14–21 years who perceived an impact of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on their mental health reported the frequencies of depression and anxiety symptoms retrospectively for different pre-pandemic and pandemic phases. Data were collected using web-based questionnaires between January 5th and February 20th, 2022. Depression and anxiety were assessed with a modified version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4). Scale-fit cut-offs were used to identify pre-existing elevated depression and anxiety scores. Multilevel mixed linear models were conducted to assess changes in depression and anxiety symptoms from 2019 to 2021 and compare for age, gender and pre-pandemic mental health problems. Among young people who were experiencing mental health changes as a result of the pandemic, the frequency of depression and anxiety symptoms increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. This association was moderated by age, gender, and pre-existing elevated depression/anxiety scores. For young people without elevated pre-pandemic depression/anxiety, the scores increased strongly over time, with 61% reporting elevated depression symptoms and 44% reporting elevated anxiety symptoms in 2021. In contrast, self-perceived change was minimal for adolescents and young adults with elevated pre-pandemic depression and anxiety. Among young people whose mental health has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the group without pre-pandemic mental health conditions reported greater deterioration than those with elevated pre-pandemic depression and anxiety scores. Thus, adolescents and young adults without pre-existing depression and anxiety problems who perceived a change in general mental health due to the pandemic reported an alarming increase in symptoms of depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

Mental health in Germany before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic

“…More recent studies also indicate that individuals with preexisting conditions (i.e., chronic illnesses or poor health in 2019) were at risk for poor mental health during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that started at the end of 2020 (Buneviciene et al 2022). Another recent study focusing on young adults and analyzing retrospective data covering the time before and during the pandemic from February 2022 (i.e., individuals ages 18 to 21) indicates that the anxiety and depression risks of individuals without preexisting mental health problems increased over the course of the pandemic (Kleine et al 2023). Blendermann et al (2023) report in their systematic review that pre-existing mental health diagnoses were not associated with symptom exacerbation, except for obsessive-compulsive disorder.…”

Psychobiological Responses to Choir Singing and Creative Arts Activities in Children and Adolescents with Mental Disorders: Results of a Pilot Study

“…Mental disorders (MD) in children and adolescents are highly prevalent, even in high-income countries [1,2]. Prevalence is growing due to the global impact of COVID-19 on MD in this population [3][4][5].…”