Post-Traumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Meta-Analysis and Intervention Approaches to Ensure Mental Health and Well-Being

Naiara Ozamiz-Etxebarria, Idoia Legorburu Fernandez, Nahia Idoiaga-Mondragon (), Beatriz Olaya, Jeffrey H. D. Cornelius-White and Javier Santabárbara
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Naiara Ozamiz-Etxebarria: Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain
Idoia Legorburu Fernandez: Department of Didactics and School Organization, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain
Nahia Idoiaga-Mondragon: Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain
Beatriz Olaya: Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Ministry of Science and Innovation, 28029 Madrid, Spain
Jeffrey H. D. Cornelius-White: Department of Counseling, Leadership and Special Education, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO 65802, USA
Javier Santabárbara: Department of Counseling, Leadership and Special Education, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO 65802, USA

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 6, 1-15

Abstract: Background: Since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, many measures have been taken to prevent the spread of the virus. Consequently, many minors have been confined to their homes and have had to subsequently adapt to countless protocol changes. These factors appear to have contributed to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in many children. Materials and Methods: The authors searched Medline through PubMed and other databases for studies published from 1 December 2019 to 31 December 2021 on the prevalence of PTSD in schoolchildren. The authors used a random-effects model to calculate the pooled prevalence of PTSD. Results: A total of six studies were included in this review. Our results show a pooled prevalence of PTSD of 14% in children and adolescents. Subgroup analyses identify a significantly higher prevalence of PTSD for studies conducted in China and a higher prevalence in boys. The prevalence of PTSD appeared independent of child age or the methodological rigor of the study. Conclusions: Our results suggest that a large number of children may be suffering from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). Public health measures are thus needed to improve children’s mental health during and after the pandemic, so that the suffering is mitigated to prevent long-lasting effects.

Keywords: post-traumatic stress disorder; COVID-19; children; adolescents; gender (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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