A Cross-Sectional Study Investigating Canadian and Australian Adolescents’ Perceived Experiences of COVID-19: Gender Differences and Mental Health Implications

Riana Marie, Audrey-Ann Journault, Rebecca Cernik, Paul Welch, Sonia Lupien, Brett McDermott, Joseph V. Moxon and Zoltan Sarnyai
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Riana Marie: Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
Audrey-Ann Journault: Centre for Studies on Human Stress, Montréal, QC H1N 3V2, Canada
Rebecca Cernik: Centre for Studies on Human Stress, Montréal, QC H1N 3V2, Canada
Paul Welch: College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
Sonia Lupien: Centre for Studies on Human Stress, Montréal, QC H1N 3V2, Canada
Brett McDermott: College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
Joseph V. Moxon: College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
Zoltan Sarnyai: Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 7, 1-14

Abstract: The coronavirus (COVID-19) disease pandemic has been associated with adverse psychological outcomes. This cross-cultural study ( N = 1326, 71% female) aimed to investigate Canadian and Australian adolescents’ subjective experiences of COVID-19, gender differences, and psychological implications. Mixed-methods analyses were used to examine differences in COVID-19 experiences and mental health outcomes between country and gender in a Canadian ( N = 913, 78% female) and an Australian sample ( N = 413, 57% female) of adolescents. Canadian adolescents reported increased COVID-19 discussions and more concerns related to their COVID-19 experiences compared to Australian adolescents. Girls consistently reported more concerns related to COVID-19 and poorer psychological outcomes compared to boys. School lockdown for the Canadian sample may have played a role in these country differences. Further, girls might be at significantly more risk for mental health concerns during COVID-19, which should be considered in adolescent mental health initiatives during the pandemic. Although school disruption and separation of peers due to the pandemic likely have a role in adolescent perceived stressors and mental health, the differences between Canadian and Australian adolescents were less clear and future investigations comparing more objective pre-COVID-19 data to current data are needed.

Keywords: COVID-19; stress; school; mental health; adolescents (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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