Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on Children and Adolescents: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Background: With the global spread of COVID-19, many families have experienced the physical or psychological effects of the disease, which has had a profound impact on children. Objectives: Given that most studies have assessed the effects of COVID-19 on physical health, this study reviews the psychological and psychosomatic aspects of the disease and possible solutions to improve the condition of children and adolescents regardless of physical problems and complications of COVID-19. Methods: The data employed in our narrative review were searched for English documents published between 2019 and 2022 in EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and PubMed databases. Keywords included Mental health, Grief, Anxiety, depression, Children, and COVID-19. After screening the abstracts, the full text of 70 related studies was reviewed, and finally, 52 relevant surveys were selected. Results: Among the most important issues are the irreparable effects of losing a parent or the death of a loved one due to this disease (loss and grief) and a wide range of other disorders, such as feelings of fear, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and post-traumatic stress disorder. However, the destructive effects of prolonged school closures and turning to social media without parental supervision and adequate infrastructure for children cannot be ignored. Conclusions: Children’s reactions to stress are different, such as overdependence, anxiety, withdrawal, anger, bedwetting, etc. Long-term quarantine and its consequences have increased anxiety and depression, sleep disorders, and nutritional problems in children and adolescents. Therefore, children need a safe and supportive environment, guidance, and help to express their fear and sadness.