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Cited by 11COVID-19 and Mental HealthStudent Stress and CopingSocial impacts of COVID-19

Does the Progression of the COVID-19 Pandemic Have an Influence on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Young People? A Cross-Sectional Multicenter Study

Open access
Özlü-Erkilic, Zeliha, Kothgassner, Oswald D., Wenzel, Thomas, Goreis, Andreas, Chen, Anthony, Ceri, Veysi, Fakhr Mousawi, Aylin, Akkaya-Kalayci, Türkan·2021·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
DOI 10.3390/ijerph182312795PMC PMC8657101
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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has been shown to have impaired the mental health and well-being of young people. This study, for the first time, explores these aspects in young people with and without a migratory background during the extended course of the pandemic and restrictive measures, comparing two countries with a high COVID-19 prevalence: Austria and Turkey. Methods: The authors used the “Psychological General Well-being” index as part of an anonymous online survey with 3665 participants (ages 15–25), recruited from both countries during the first and the second waves of the pandemic, collecting data on individual experiences and problems encountered during the pandemic. Results: Mental health (b = 0.06, p < 0.023) and general psychological well-being worsened with the progression of the pandemic. Participants with financial problems had the most severe negative effect on mental health (b = 0.12, p < 0.001). Furthermore, females living in Turkey, both natives (b = −0.21, p < 0.001) and migrants (b = 0.25, p < 0.001), reported a more deteriorated mental health status over time. Conclusions: The extended pandemic duration and resultant “lockdown” restrictions have negatively affected the mental health of young people to varying degrees, depending on country of residence and migration background. A strong “recovery plan” that considers group-specific needs and vulnerabilities is urgently needed.

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  • The prevalence of mental illness increased in children, adolescents, and young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “The prevalence of mental illness increased in children, adolescents, and young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, while at the same time, access to treatment facilities has been restricted, resulting in a need for the quick implementation of remote or online interventions.”

    From Effectiveness of Online and Remote Interventions for Mental Health in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults After the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2024) · cites this paper as [12]

    The Introduction (page unavailable) reports that psychological problems increased among children and adolescents during the pandemic, and the Results, §3.2 (page unavailable), describe worsening symptoms in several groups of young people. Neither passage establishes an increase in the prevalence of mental illness across children, adolescents, and young adults; the study reports symptoms and well-being rather than illness prevalence. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. [10]Heimann T. Ewert J. Metzner F. Sigmund F. Jud A. Pawils S. Medical child protection during the coronavirus lockdown Mon. Kinderheilkd. 2021 1 7 Ahead of print 10.1007/s00112-021-01135-7 PMC7884261 33612861 · DOI
  2. [12]Hamoda H. COVID-19 and Child Mental Health around the World. IACAPAP Bulletin 2020 Available online: https://iacapap.org/content/uploads/Bulletin-Issue58.pdf (accessed on 7 July 2020)
  3. [42]Zölch J. Böhnke P. The interaction between experiences of migration and poverty: An explanatory approach for the intergenerational transmission of poverty in families with a migration background Berl. J. Soziol. 2020 30 369 391 10.1007/s11609-020-00426-2 · DOI

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Authors
Özlü-Erkilic, Z., Kothgassner, O. D., Wenzel, T., Goreis, A., Chen, A., Ceri, V., Fakhr Mousawi, A., & Akkaya-Kalayci, T.
Affiliations
  • Medical University of Vienna (AT)
  • University of Vienna (AT)
  • Scientific Section on Psychological Aspects of Torture and Persecution, World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 1226 Thônex, Switzerland
  • Department of Child Development, Faculty of Health Sciences, Batman University, Merkez Kampüsü, Batman 72060, Turkey
  • Postgraduate University Program Transcultural Medicine and Diversity Care, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Corresponding author
Akkaya-Kalayci, Türkan
ORCID
Venue
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2021-12-04
Volume
18
Issue
23
Pages
12795
ISSN
1660-4601 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/ijerph182312795
PMC
PMC8657101
OpenAlex
W4200220029
Cited by
11
References
41
Citations by year
2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3
FWCI
1.70
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Medical Scientific Fund of the Mayor of the City of Vienna (COVID068)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Student Stress and Coping
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Social impacts of COVID-19
Keywords
COVID-19 pandemic, youth, mental health, psychological well-being, migration background, migrant youth, lockdown measures, financial hardship, gender differences, pandemic waves, Austria, Turkey
MeSH terms
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Adolescent, Adult, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Mental Health, Young Adult, Pandemics

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