[Psychological distress and mental health problems in children and their parents during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2022)].

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying containment measures created major changes to everyone's daily life that had an impact on mental health and psychological burden.

METHODS

In five surveys of the COPSY study more than 1,500 parents of 7- to 17-year-olds and their children between the ages of 11 and 17 were interviewed using established mental health assessment tools and a self-developed item on the experience of mental burden. Pre-pandemic comparative data were drawn from the representative BELLA study (BEfragung zum seeLischen Wohbefinden und VerhAlten).

RESULTS

The majority of children and adolescents as well as their parents in Germany felt stressed by the pandemic between 2020 and 2022. There was an increase in both mental health problems and symptoms of anxiety and depression at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and during the second nationwide lockdown. A slight decrease in the subjective experience of psychological burden and mental health problems among children and their parents was observed in the fall of 2022. However, the prevalence of mental health problems and anxiety remained above pre-pandemic levels.

DISCUSSION

The results illustrate the difficult situation of many children, adolescents and parents, even after 3 years of pandemic. Low-threshold counseling and support services as well as more therapy places and professional support services should be made available.