The Parallel Pandemic: A Systematic Review on the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on OCD among Children and Adolescents

Nasong A. Luginaah, Evans S. Batung (), Bianca R. Ziegler, Daniel Amoak, John Paul Trudell, Godwin Arku and Isaac Luginaah
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Nasong A. Luginaah: Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
Evans S. Batung: Department of Geography and Environment, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
Bianca R. Ziegler: Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street W, Hamilton, ON L8P 1H6, Canada
Daniel Amoak: Department of Geography and Environment, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
John Paul Trudell: Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street W, Hamilton, ON L8P 1H6, Canada
Godwin Arku: Department of Geography and Environment, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
Isaac Luginaah: Department of Geography and Environment, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 23, 1-21

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying social changes severely impacted mental health globally. Children and adolescents may have been vulnerable to adverse mental health outcomes, especially obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), due to their underdeveloped resilience and coping skills stemming from their progressing physical and psychological development. Few studies have explored the parallels between the pandemic and OCD trends in this population. This systematic review aims to identify the impacts of COVID-19 on OCD among children and adolescents. Using the PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search of eight databases for studies that assessed OCD outcomes independently or as part of other psychiatric diagnoses during the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted. The search was limited to studies on humans and those written in English and published between January 2020 and May 2023. We identified 788 articles, out of which 71 were selected for a full-text review. Twenty-two papers were synthesized from 10 countries for the final analysis. We found that 77% of our studies suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on OCD among children and adolescents. We also found a complex interplay of individual, household, and socio-structural factors associated with the aggravation of OCD. Conversely, a few studies revealed that the pandemic strengthened relationships and resilience. The findings of this study emphasize the need for mental health screening and support for this population, especially during pandemic periods.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; DSM-5; OCD; children; adolescent (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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