References

Inventing ourselves: the secret life of the teenage brain. 2018. https://www.clinical-partners.co.uk/child-adolescents/a-z-of-issues/teenage-and-child-anxiety-support/ptsd (accessed 2 February 2022)

Danese A, McLaughlin KA, Samara M, Stover CS. Psychopathology in children exposed to trauma: detection and intervention needed to reduce downstream burden. BMJ. 2020; 371 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m3073

Douglas PK, Douglas DB, Harrigan DC, Douglas KM. Preparing for pandemic influenza and its aftermath: mental health issues considered. Int J Emerg Ment Health. 2009; 11:(3)137-44

Ellis BJ, Bianchi J, Griskevicius V, Frankenhuis WE. Beyond Risk and Protective Factors: An Adaptation-Based Approach to Resilience. Perspect Psychol Sci. 2017; 12:(4)561-587 https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691617693054

Fegert JM, Vitiello B, Plener PL, Clemens V. Challenges and burden of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic for child and adolescent mental health: a narrative review to highlight clinical and research needs in the acute phase and the long return to normality. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2020; 14 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-020-00329-3

Ford T, John A, Gunnell D. Mental health of children and young people during pandemic. BMJ. 2021; 372 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n614

Hawes MT, Szenczy AK, Klein DN, Hajcak G, Nelson BD. Increases in depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents and young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychol Med. 2021; 1-9 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291720005358

Herringa RJ. Trauma, PTSD, and the Developing Brain. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2017; 19:(10) https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-017-0825-3

Holbrook TL, Hoyt DB, Coimbra R, Potenza B, Sise M, Anderson JP. Long-term posttraumatic stress disorder persists after major trauma in adolescents: new data on risk factors and functional outcome. J Trauma. 2005; 58:(4)764-9 https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ta.0000159247.48547.7d

John A, Pirkis J, Gunnell D, Appleby L, Morrissey J. Trends in suicide during the covid-19 pandemic. BMJ. 2020; 371 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m4352

Kar N, Bastia BK. Post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and generalised anxiety disorder in adolescents after a natural disaster: a study of comorbidity. Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health. 2006; 2 https://doi.org/10.1186/1745-0179-2-17

Larsen B, Luna B. Adolescence as a neurobiological critical period for the development of higher-order cognition. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2018; 94:179-195 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.09.005

Liu N, Zhang F, Wei C, Jia Y, Shang Z, Sun L, Wu L, Sun Z, Zhou Y, Wang Y, Liu W. Prevalence and predictors of PTSS during COVID-19 outbreak in China hardest-hit areas: Gender differences matter. Psychiatry Res. 2020; 287 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112921

Newman CL, Motta RW. The effects of aerobic exercise on childhood PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Int J Emerg Ment Health. 2007; 9:(2)133-58

Nissen JB, Højgaard DRMA, Thomsen PH. The immediate effect of COVID-19 pandemic on children and adolescents with obsessive compulsive disorder. BMC Psychiatry. 2020; 20:(1) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02905-5

Office for National Statistics. Coronavirus and depression in adults, Great Britain: January to March 2021. 2021. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/articles/coronavirusanddepressioninadultsgreatbritain/januarytomarch2021 (accessed 2 February 2022)

Otto MW, Henin A, Hirshfeld-Becker DR, Pollack MH, Biederman J, Rosenbaum JF. Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms following media exposure to tragic events: impact of 9/11 on children at risk for anxiety disorders. J Anxiety Disord. 2007; 21:(7)888-902 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2006.10.008

RE: Supporting Autism Spectrum Disorder in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. 2020. https://www.cmaj.ca/content/resupporting-autism-spectrum-disorder-face-COVID-19-pandemic (accessed 2 February 2022)

Sprang G, Silman M. Posttraumatic stress disorder in parents and youth after health-related disasters. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2013; 7:(1)105-10 https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2013.22

Sun L, Sun Z, Wu L, Zhu Z, Zhang F, Shang Z, Jia Y, Gu J, Zhou Y, Wang Y, Liu N, Liu W. Prevalence and risk factors for acute posttraumatic stress disorder during the COVID-19 outbreak. J Affect Disord. 2021; 283:123-129 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.01.050

Whalley MG, Brewin CR. Mental health following terrorist attacks. Br J Psychiatry. 2007; 190:94-6 https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.106.026427

Warheit GJ, Zimmerman RS, Khoury EL, Vega WA, Gil AG. Disaster related stresses, depressive signs and symptoms, and suicidal ideation among a multi-racial/ethnic sample of adolescents: a longitudinal analysis. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1996; 37:(4)435-44 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.1996.tb01424.x

YoungMinds. Coronavirus: Impact on young people with mental health needs. 2020. https://youngminds.org.uk/media/3708/coronavirus-report_march2020.pdf (accessed 2 February 2022)

Yule W, Bolton D, Udwin O, Boyle S, O'Ryan D, Nurrish J. The long-term psychological effects of a disaster experienced in adolescence: I: The incidence and course of PTSD. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2000; 41:(4)503-11

Zaccaro A, Piarulli A, Laurino M, Garbella E, Menicucci D, Neri B, Gemignani A. How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing. Front Hum Neurosci. 2018; 12 https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353

Zhou SJ, Zhang LG, Wang LL, Guo ZC, Wang JQ, Chen JC, Liu M, Chen X, Chen JX. Prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of psychological health problems in Chinese adolescents during the outbreak of COVID-19. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2020; 29:(6)749-758 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-020-01541-4

Mental Health

PTSD: Mental health in the COVID-19 pandemic

02 February 2022
Mental Health
02 February 2022
Volume 3 · Issue 1

Abstract

While it is still unclear how many young people have suffered mental health problems as a result of the pandemic, data from previous disasters suggests that many will have been affected in some way, with some also suffering post-traumatic stress disorder as a result.

The past 2 years have been traumatic. COVID-19 has affected us all far more extensively than we could have imagined before the pandemic hit. It has had a general negative effect on mental health in both adults (Office for National Statistics, 2021) and teenagers (Ford et al, 2021; Hawes et al, 2021).

The negative impact of the pandemic on the mental health of young people is not surprising. It was anticipated by experts (Douglas et al, 2009; Fegert et al, 2020; John, 2020). Even in normal times, adolescence is a particularly vulnerable period of life, for many reasons (Larsen and Luma, 2018). The pandemic has presented many new challenges to this age group, from the disruption of everyday life and education, the social dislocation of lockdowns, to the long-term fears and uncertainties about the future (exacerbated by the contemporaneous escalation of the climate change crisis).

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Journal of Child Health and reading some of our peer-reviewed resources for children’s health professionals. To read more, please register today. You’ll enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included

  • Limited access to our clinical or professional articles

  • New content and clinical newsletter updates each month

Register
Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address