The effect of COVID-19 on youth mental health
Open accessAbstract
The purposes of this study was to assess the youth mental health after the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) occurred in China two weeks later, and to investigate factors of mental health among youth groups. A cross-sectional study was conducted two weeks after the occurrence of COVID-19 in China. A total of 584 youth enrolled in this study and completed the question about cognitive status of COVID-19, the General Health Questionnaire(GHQ-12), the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C) and the Negative coping styles scale. Univariate analysis and univariate logistic regression were used to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 on youth mental health. The results of this cross-sectional study suggest that nearly 40.4% the sampled youth were found to be prone to psychological problems and 14.4% the sampled youth with Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Univariate logistic regression revealed that youth mental health was significantly related to being less educated (OR = 8.71, 95%CI:1.97–38.43), being the enterprise employee (OR = 2.36, 95%CI:1.09–5.09), suffering from the PTSD symptom (OR = 1.05, 95%CI:1.03–1.07) and using negative coping styles (OR = 1.03, 95%CI:1.00–1.07). Results of this study suggest that nearly 40.4% of the youth group had a tendency to have psychological problems. Thus, this was a remarkable evidence that infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, may have an immense influence on youth mental health. Therefor, local governments should develop effective psychological interventions for youth groups, moreover, it is important to consider the educational level and occupation of the youth during the interventions.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Buzzi et al. (2020) did not test the reliability and validity of their instruments, and some researchers did not consider other variables including confounders.
“Buzzi et al. (2020) did not test the reliability and validity of their instruments, and some researchers did not take into consideration other variables, inclusive of the confounders [26,31,32,34].”
From Mental Health of Children and Adolescents Amidst COVID-19 and Past Pandemics: A Rapid Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [26]
The Limitations and Future Research Directions section says that other variables affecting youth mental health should be examined, and Data Analyses describes univariate logistic regression. This supports the point about variables not considered, but the paper does not specifically identify omitted confounders. The statement about Buzzi et al. is not attributed to this source. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredDepression and anxiety were higher among children and adolescents in other pandemics, and specifically COVID-19.
“Depression and anxiety were higher among children and adolescents in other pandemics, and specifically COVID‑19 [22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34].”
From Mental Health of Children and Adolescents Amidst COVID-19 and Past Pandemics: A Rapid Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [26]
The Introduction (page unavailable) says earlier epidemics were associated with depression and anxiety in the public, and the Discussion (page unavailable) reports psychological problems among youth shortly after COVID-19. The study did not report separate depression or anxiety outcomes; its participants were aged 14–35, mostly 21–30, so it does not establish that those conditions were higher specifically among children and adolescents. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the emotional and behavioral experience of children and adolescents.
“on the COVID‑19 pandemic reported that the current pandemic has significantly affected the emotional and behavioral experience of children and adolescents [22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34].”
From Mental Health of Children and Adolescents Amidst COVID-19 and Past Pandemics: A Rapid Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [26]
The Abstract reports psychological problems and PTSD symptoms among surveyed youth after COVID-19, supporting an effect on emotional well-being. But the Participants and Participant Characteristics sections show that the sample was aged 14–35, mostly 21–30; the paper does not establish effects on children broadly or assess their behavioral experience. Its Limitations section also cautions that the cross-sectional design cannot provide strong evidence of causality. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredSuffering from posttraumatic stress disorder is significantly related to mental health of adolescents and youths (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.03-1.07).
“Liang et al.’s (2020) cross-sectional survey showed that the mental health of adolescents and youths is significantly related to being less educated (OR: = 8.71, 95%, CI: 1.97–38.43), the use of negative coping styles (OR: = 1.03, 95%, CI: 1.00–1.07), suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (OR: = 1.05, 95%, CI: 1.03–1.07), and working as an employee (OR: = 2.36, 95%, CI: 1.09–5.09).”
From Mental Health of Children and Adolescents Amidst COVID-19 and Past Pandemics: A Rapid Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as Liang et al. (2020)
The Univariate Logistic section reports an association between PTSD symptoms and psychological disorders in the surveyed youth, with OR 1.05 (95% CI 1.03–1.07). The source measures PTSD symptoms, not a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder, so the claim overstates that part of the finding. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredPandemics have a significant impact on the mental health of children and adolescents.
“Our findings from this current review shed light on the significant impact of pandemics on the mental health of children and adolescents.”
From Mental Health of Children and Adolescents Amidst COVID-19 and Past Pandemics: A Rapid Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [26]
The Abstract and Discussion report substantial psychological problems among youth during the COVID-19 outbreak. But the Participant Characteristics section says participants were aged 14–35, with most aged 21–30. The study therefore supports an impact on youth, but does not establish the claim specifically for children and adolescents or for pandemics generally. (LLM, conf=0.87)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
Pandemics markedly contribute to a wide breadth of negative mental health consequences for children and adolescents.
“These results demonstrate that pandemics markedly contribute to a wide breadth of negative mental health consequences for children and adolescents, which establishes the critical need to explore effective strategies to promote positive mental health during pandemics.”
From Mental Health of Children and Adolescents Amidst COVID-19 and Past Pandemics: A Rapid Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [26]
The Abstract and Discussion report substantial psychological problems and PTSD symptoms among youth shortly after the COVID-19 outbreak. But Participant Characteristics says the sample ranged from ages 14 to 35, with 74.6% aged 21–30, so it does not establish the claim specifically for children and adolescents. The Limitations section also says the cross-sectional design cannot provide strong evidence of causality, whereas the claim says pandemics markedly contribute to these outcomes. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredImpairments in mental health leave children and adolescents with increased emotional stress, feelings of helplessness, and fear, which can evolve into mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms.
“Specifically, impairments in mental health leave children and adolescents with increased emotional stress, feelings of helplessness, and fear, which can evolve into mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress symptoms [18,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34].”
From Mental Health of Children and Adolescents Amidst COVID-19 and Past Pandemics: A Rapid Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [26]
The Introduction links infectious-disease outbreaks with psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and PTSD, and the Discussion reports psychological problems and PTSD symptoms among the study’s youth participants. But the paper does not establish the claimed progression from emotional stress, helplessness, and fear to those conditions. Its participants were aged 14–35, mostly 21–30, so the findings do not specifically establish that progression for children and adolescents. (LLM, conf=0.87)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredKeeping children and adolescents well informed will alleviate psychological distress and associated risky social and behavioral problems.
“As a result, it will alleviate the psychological distress and associated risky social and behavioral problems of children and adolescents, as we reported earlier [23,24,26,27,30,32].”
From Mental Health of Children and Adolescents Amidst COVID-19 and Past Pandemics: A Rapid Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [26]
The Discussion (page unavailable) recommends public media education so young people can learn about COVID-19 and protect themselves and others. It also suggests that higher education may help people understand and prevent psychological symptoms. It does not establish that keeping children and adolescents informed will alleviate psychological distress or associated risky social and behavioral problems. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe majority of reviewed studies revealed the impact of pandemics on the decline of children's and adolescents' mental health.
“The majority of studies that we reviewed have revealed the impact of pandemics on the decline of children’s and adolescents’ mental health [18,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34].”
From Mental Health of Children and Adolescents Amidst COVID-19 and Past Pandemics: A Rapid Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [26]
The Abstract reports psychological problems among sampled youth after COVID-19, supporting the general point that the pandemic affected young people's mental health. But the Participants and Participant Characteristics sections describe an age range of 14–35, with 74.6% aged 21–30; the study therefore does not establish a decline specifically among children and adolescents. Its Limitations section also says the cross-sectional design cannot provide strong evidence of causality. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredMany researchers have reported an increase in anxiety and depression owing to the ongoing pandemic.
“Many researchers have also reported an increase in anxiety and depression owing to the ongoing pandemic (Alkwiese Sr et al., 2020; Holmes et al., 2020; Liang et al., 2020; Liu X. et al., 2020; Rajkumar, 2020; Roy et al., 2020; Sood, 2020; Varshney et al., 2020).”
From Knowledge of COVID-19 and Its Influence on Mindfulness, Cognitive Emotion Regulation and Psychological Flexibility in the Indian Community (2020) · cites this paper as Liang et al., 2020
The Discussion (page unavailable) reports psychological problems among 40.4% of surveyed youth shortly after COVID-19 began and mentions depression and anxiety as possible problems during the emergency. It does not report an increase in anxiety and depression specifically; the study measured general psychological problems and PTSD symptoms. (LLM, conf=0.85)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredYoung people as a cohort have had a marked increase in distress and disproportionately poorer mental health outcomes since the COVID-19 pandemic, especially those living with social and economic disadvantage.
“young people as a cohort have had a marked increase in distress and disproportionately poorer mental health outcomes since the COVID-19 pandemic, 75-80 especially those living with social and economic disadvantage.”
From The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on youth mental health (2024) · cites this paper as [81]
The Discussion reports psychological problems in 40.4% of the surveyed youth about two weeks after COVID-19 began, and the Univariate Logistic section associates lower education with greater odds of psychological disorders. But this cross-sectional study does not establish an increase from before the pandemic or show that youth fared disproportionately worse than other age groups. It also does not directly assess social and economic disadvantage as a whole. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredUse of negative coping styles is significantly related to mental health of adolescents and youths (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.00-1.07).
“Liang et al.’s (2020) cross-sectional survey showed that the mental health of adolescents and youths is significantly related to being less educated (OR: = 8.71, 95%, CI: 1.97–38.43), the use of negative coping styles (OR: = 1.03, 95%, CI: 1.00–1.07), suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (OR: = 1.05, 95%, CI: 1.03–1.07), and working as an employee (OR: = 2.36, 95%, CI: 1.09–5.09).”
From Mental Health of Children and Adolescents Amidst COVID-19 and Past Pandemics: A Rapid Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as Liang et al. (2020)
Working as an employee is significantly related to mental health of adolescents and youths (OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.09-5.09).
“Liang et al.’s (2020) cross-sectional survey showed that the mental health of adolescents and youths is significantly related to being less educated (OR: = 8.71, 95%, CI: 1.97–38.43), the use of negative coping styles (OR: = 1.03, 95%, CI: 1.00–1.07), suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (OR: = 1.05, 95%, CI: 1.03–1.07), and working as an employee (OR: = 2.36, 95%, CI: 1.09–5.09).”
From Mental Health of Children and Adolescents Amidst COVID-19 and Past Pandemics: A Rapid Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as Liang et al. (2020)
Being less educated is significantly related to mental health of adolescents and youths (OR 8.71, 95% CI 1.97-38.43).
“Liang et al.’s (2020) cross-sectional survey showed that the mental health of adolescents and youths is significantly related to being less educated (OR: = 8.71, 95%, CI: 1.97–38.43), the use of negative coping styles (OR: = 1.03, 95%, CI: 1.00–1.07), suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (OR: = 1.05, 95%, CI: 1.03–1.07), and working as an employee (OR: = 2.36, 95%, CI: 1.09–5.09).”
From Mental Health of Children and Adolescents Amidst COVID-19 and Past Pandemics: A Rapid Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as Liang et al. (2020)
Pandemics are precursors to mental health decline.
“The results are overwhelming and demonstrate that pandemics are precursors to mental health decline [18,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34].”
From Mental Health of Children and Adolescents Amidst COVID-19 and Past Pandemics: A Rapid Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [26]
Mental health decline is linked to education and knowledge on COVID-19.
“Given the results that demonstrate that mental health decline is linked to education [26] and knowledge on COVID‑19 [28], developing educational materials is a unique opportunity to improve the mental health status of young populations.”
From Mental Health of Children and Adolescents Amidst COVID-19 and Past Pandemics: A Rapid Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [26]
Citation [28] is attached to the claimed link between mental health decline and knowledge of COVID-19; education is cited separately to [26]. The Knowledge about COVID-19 and Participant Characteristics sections describe how knowledge was measured and distributed, but neither they nor the reported mental-health analyses establish a link between knowledge and mental health. Searched for an association between COVID-19 knowledge and GHQ-12 scores, PTSD symptoms, or psychological distress; page numbers were unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.76)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe review identified 16 studies on college students.
“our findings of five studies on children and 16 studies on college students”
From Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 among Children and College Students: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [16]
The review identified five studies on children and adolescents.
“our findings of five studies on children and 16 studies on college students”
From Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 among Children and College Students: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [16]
The 16 college student studies included 15 cross-sectional studies and one cohort study.
“Of the 16 studies remaining, 15 were cross sectional studies and one was a cohort study [16, 19–33].”
From Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 among Children and College Students: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [16]
The five child and adolescent studies were all cross-sectional and conducted in China.
“Five studies remained, which were all cross-sectional studies, conducted in China, and the variables most commonly measured were depression and anxiety [14–18].”
From Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 among Children and College Students: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [16]
The child and adolescent studies most commonly measured depression and anxiety.
“the variables most commonly measured were depression and anxiety [14–18]”
From Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 among Children and College Students: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [16]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
The citation lists haven’t been fetched yet
References 39 · Cited by 971
Research works printed but not linked: 3
- [16]16. Xie YN. The initial exploration of reliability and validity of simplified coping styles questionnaire. Chin J Clin Psych. 1998;6:114-5.
- [24]24. Weathers FW, Litz BT, Herman DS, Husha JA, Keane TM. The PTSD checklist: reliability, validity, and diagnostic utility. Int Soc Trauma Stress Stud. 1993;2:90-2.
- [38]38. Peng EYC, Lee MB, Tsai ST, Yang CC, Morisky DE, Tsai LT, et al. Population-based post-crisis psychological distress: an example from the SARS outbreak in Taiwan. J Formos Med Assoc. 2010;109: 524-32.
- Authors
- Liang, L., Ren, H., Cao, R., Hu, Y., Qin, Z., Li, C., & Mei, S.
- Affiliations
- Jilin University (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Mei, Songli
- Venue
- Psychiatric Quarterly
- Published
- 2020-04-21
- Volume
- 91
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 841-852
- ISSN
- 0033-2720 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-6709
- PMC
- PMC7173777
- OpenAlex
- W3017093464
- Semantic Scholar
- bf657e866d8605994a0e20532d2a161712ed6e31
- Cited by
- 971
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 49 · 2024: 90 · 2023: 184 · 2022: 256 · 2021: 270 · 2020: 107
- FWCI
- 81.77
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Psychiatric Quarterly (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- International innovation team of Jilin University (2019GJTD06)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Student Stress and Coping
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Keywords
- COVID-19 pandemic, youth mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder, mental illness, negative coping, educational attainment, employment status, psychological intervention, China
- MeSH terms
- Betacoronavirus, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Adaptation, Psychological, Adolescent, Adult, Anxiety, China, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depression, Educational Status, Employment, Female, Humans, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Male, Mental Health, Pneumonia, Viral, Psychological Tests, Surveys and Questionnaires, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Logistic Models, Coronavirus Infections, Young Adult, Pandemics
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
