Prevalence and related factors of child posttraumatic stress disorder during COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Yang, Fan; Wen, Jiaxing; Huang, Ning; Riem, Madelon M E; Lodder, Paul; Guo, Jing

doi:10.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.31

Cited by 11 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…The estimated prevalence in China was significantly lower than in Italy, Germany, and America. Consistent with the existing studies, a meta-analysis found that the prevalence of child posttraumatic stress disorder in China was significantly lower than the Italian and American estimates [ 74 ]. Firstly, the difference may be due to epidemic crisis degrees and prevention and control policies in different countries.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 71%

Impact of COVID-19 on emotional and behavioral problems among preschool children: a meta-analysis

Jing,

Yang,

Wang

et al. 2024

BMC Pediatr

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The impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on society is continuous, resulting in negative psychological consequences. Given the vulnerability and sensitivity to the environment among preschool children, their emotional and behavioral problems deserve more attention. The current study aimed to explore the impact of the epidemic on preschool children’s mental health by determining the pooled prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems amidst the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic and to reveal potential reasons for variations between studies. Published studies were searched in Embase, PubMed, ProQuest, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CNKI, and Wanfang. Based on the inclusion criteria outlined in this study, a total of 10 studies encompassing 38,059 participants were incorporated. Employing a random-effect model for estimating the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems, the results revealed a pooled prevalence rate of 24.3% (95% CI, 0.15–0.38; I²=99.9%) among preschool children. This rate surpasses the pre-outbreak prevalence observed in different countries, signifying a detrimental influence of the epidemic on the mental well-being of preschoolers. Therefore, mental health care and recovery are essential for the vulnerable group during and after the public health crisis. Specific emotional and behavioral problems among preschool children are expected to be researched in the future to provide more targeted guidance for intervention.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 71%

Impact of COVID-19 on emotional and behavioral problems among preschool children: a meta-analysis

Jing,

Yang,

Wang

et al. 2024

BMC Pediatr

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“…High heterogeneity was found [ 52 , 63 , 93 , 95 , 122 ] and subgroup analyses showed higher prevalence rates of depression and anxiety symptoms in studies with a higher proportion of girls/females and in adolescents compared to children. PTSD symptom prevalence rate was higher in children and adolescents from Northern America and Europe compared to Southeast Asia [ 52 , 63 , 93 , 137 ]. In only few reviews with meta-analyses, a pooled prevalence rate in caregivers (e.g., mothers of young children [ 126 ]) and in working populations (e.g., teachers [ 58 , 108 ]) was calculated (Tables A, B, and C in S2 Text ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 and common mental health symptoms in the early phase of the pandemic: An umbrella review of the evidence

et al. 2023

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Background There remains uncertainty about the impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on mental health. This umbrella review provides a comprehensive overview of the association between the pandemic and common mental disorders. We qualitatively summarized evidence from reviews with meta-analyses of individual study-data in the general population, healthcare workers, and specific at-risk populations. Methods and findings A systematic search was carried out in 5 databases for peer-reviewed systematic reviews with meta-analyses of prevalence of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms during the pandemic published between December 31, 2019 until August 12, 2022. We identified 123 reviews of which 7 provided standardized mean differences (SMDs) either from longitudinal pre- to during pandemic study-data or from cross-sectional study-data compared to matched pre-pandemic data. Methodological quality rated with the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews checklist scores (AMSTAR 2) instrument was generally low to moderate. Small but significant increases of depression, anxiety, and/or general mental health symptoms were reported in the general population, in people with preexisting physical health conditions, and in children (3 reviews; SMDs ranged from 0.11 to 0.28). Mental health and depression symptoms significantly increased during periods of social restrictions (1 review; SMDs of 0.41 and 0.83, respectively) but anxiety symptoms did not (SMD: 0.26). Increases of depression symptoms were generally larger and longer-lasting during the pandemic (3 reviews; SMDs depression ranged from 0.16 to 0.23) than those of anxiety (2 reviews: SMDs 0.12 and 0.18). Females showed a significantly larger increase in anxiety symptoms than males (1 review: SMD 0.15). In healthcare workers, people with preexisting mental disorders, any patient group, children and adolescents, and in students, no significant differences from pre- to during pandemic were found (2 reviews; SMD’s ranging from −0.16 to 0.48). In 116 reviews pooled cross-sectional prevalence rates of depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms ranged from 9% to 48% across populations. Although heterogeneity between studies was high and largely unexplained, assessment tools and cut-offs used, age, sex or gender, and COVID-19 exposure factors were found to be moderators in some reviews. The major limitations are the inability to quantify and explain the high heterogeneity across reviews included and the shortage of within-person data from multiple longitudinal studies. Conclusions A small but consistent deterioration of mental health and particularly depression during early pandemic and during social restrictions has been found in the general population and in people with chronic somatic disorders. Also, associations between mental health and the pandemic were stronger in females and younger age groups than in others. Explanatory individual-level, COVID-19 exposure, and time-course factors were scarce and showed inconsistencies across reviews. For policy and research, repeated assessments of mental health in population panels including vulnerable individuals are recommended to respond to current and future health crises.

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“…Additional file 12 [ 54 , 67 , 77 , 139 , 153 ] summarizes single-arm evidence about events caused by the COVID-19 vaccine. Additional file 13 [ 49 , 50 , 58 , 82 , 99 , 113 , 142 ] summarizes single-arm evidence about health impacts during the pandemic.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence linking COVID-19 and the health/well-being of children and adolescents: an umbrella review

Duan,

Liu,

Wang

et al. 2024

BMC Med

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Background Experiences during childhood and adolescence have enduring impacts on physical and mental well-being, overall quality of life, and socioeconomic status throughout one’s lifetime. This underscores the importance of prioritizing the health of children and adolescents to establish an impactful healthcare system that benefits both individuals and society. It is crucial for healthcare providers and policymakers to examine the relationship between COVID-19 and the health of children and adolescents, as this understanding will guide the creation of interventions and policies for the long-term management of the virus. Methods In this umbrella review (PROSPERO ID: CRD42023401106), systematic reviews were identified from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; EMBASE (OvidSP); and MEDLINE (OvidSP) from December 2019 to February 2023. Pairwise and single-arm meta-analyses were extracted from the included systematic reviews. The methodological quality appraisal was completed using the AMSTAR-2 tool. Single-arm meta-analyses were re-presented under six domains associated with COVID-19 condition. Pairwise meta-analyses were classified into five domains according to the evidence classification criteria. Rosenberg’s FSN was calculated for both binary and continuous measures. Results We identified 1551 single-arm and 301 pairwise meta-analyses from 124 systematic reviews that met our predefined criteria for inclusion. The focus of the meta-analytical evidence was predominantly on the physical outcomes of COVID-19, encompassing both single-arm and pairwise study designs. However, the quality of evidence and methodological rigor were suboptimal. Based on the evidence gathered from single-arm meta-analyses, we constructed an illustrative representation of the disease severity, clinical manifestations, laboratory and radiological findings, treatments, and outcomes from 2020 to 2022. Additionally, we discovered 17 instances of strong or highly suggestive pairwise meta-analytical evidence concerning long-COVID, pediatric comorbidity, COVID-19 vaccines, mental health, and depression. Conclusions The findings of our study advocate for the implementation of surveillance systems to track health consequences associated with COVID-19 and the establishment of multidisciplinary collaborative rehabilitation programs for affected younger populations. In future research endeavors, it is important to prioritize the investigation of non-physical outcomes to bridge the gap between research findings and clinical application in this field.

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Prevalence and related factors of child posttraumatic stress disorder during COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract: This peer-reviewed article has been accepted for publication but not yet copyedited or typeset, and so may be subject to change during the production process. The article is considered published and may be cited using its DOI.

Cited by 11 publications

References 57 publications

Impact of COVID-19 on emotional and behavioral problems among preschool children: a meta-analysis

Impact of COVID-19 on emotional and behavioral problems among preschool children: a meta-analysis

COVID-19 and common mental health symptoms in the early phase of the pandemic: An umbrella review of the evidence

Evidence linking COVID-19 and the health/well-being of children and adolescents: an umbrella review

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