Youth Mental Health in Times of Global Crises: Evidence From the German Longitudinal COVID-19 and Psychological Health Study.

Purpose: Global crises such as climate change, pandemics, and wars present significant challenges, particularly for children and adolescents in a vulnerable phase of development. This population-based longitudinal study aimed to examine changes in youth mental health from 2017 to 2023 in the context of global crises and investigate the effects of crises-related fears on mental health.

Methods: Data on 2,671 families with children and adolescents (50.1% female) aged 7-21 years (including self-reports) who participated in at least one wave of the German population-based COVID-19 and Psychological Health study (T1: May 2020-T6: October 2023) were analyzed. Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression analyses were used to investigate changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL), mental health problems, and depressive and anxiety symptoms. Associations with crises-related future anxiety were explored using data from T6.

Results: Youth HRQoL and mental health significantly deteriorated during the pandemic in 2020-2021 compared to prepandemic data. Although mental health improved in the following years, one in five children still reported low HRQoL, mental health problems, and anxiety in 2023. By autumn 2023, crises-related worries and future anxiety were common, associated with higher risks of low HRQoL, mental health problems, and depressive and anxiety symptoms (odds ratios = 1.2-2.4).

Discussion: Youth mental health deteriorated significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic and remained impaired in 2023 amid ongoing global crises. Crises-related worries are widespread and linked to poorer mental health. Targeted prevention and intervention programs are essential to help young people cope with these challenges.