Mental Disorders in Children and Adolescents in Crisis Situations: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Armed Conflicts - Types of Disorders, Effects, and Intervention Strategies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2024.37.57803Keywords
children's mental health, youth mental health, COVID-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine, armed conflicts, mental disordersAbstract
Introduction. The deterioration of mental health in children and adolescents is a serious medical problem, and the number of mental disorders has been increasing in recent years. In every part of the world, children and adolescents suffer from mental health problems, and their needs are not adequately taken care of. In addition, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and armed conflicts have had a significant impact on the emergence of disorders in children and adolescents. Loneliness, fear, anxiety and lack of emotional support and access to appropriate medical and psychological care are the basis of these problems. Support for young patients, psychological and pharmacological interventions and raising awareness about the importance of mental health are the basis for improving the mental health of adolescents.
Aim of study. The aim of this study is to investigate the increasing prevalence of mental disorders among children and adolescents and to examine their correlation with the occurrence of pandemics, wars and traumas.
Materials and methods. A non-systematic review of the scientific literature was conducted using specific keywords such as “children’s mental health”, “youth mental health”, “COVID-19 pandemic”, “war in Ukraine”, “armed conflicts”, “mental disorders”, “depression” and “anxiety”. The review was conducted in the Pub Med database, analyzing a total of 39 sources published by the end of 2024.
Conclusions. Both the COVID-19 pandemic and armed conflicts have a negative impact on the mental health of children and adolescents worldwide. The occurrence of previous mental health problems significantly increases the risk of anxiety disorders, PTSD, depression. The basic strategy for preventing the occurrence and reducing the severity of these disorders are preventive programs, psychoeducation, psychotherapy, if necessary combined with pharmacotherapy.
References
1. Deckert, A., Runge-Ranzinger, S., Banaschewski, T., Horstick, O., Elwishahy, A., Olarte-Peña, M., Faber, C., Müller, T., Brugnara, L., Thom, J., Mauz, E., & Peitz, D. (2024). Mental health indicators for children and adolescents in OECD countries: a scoping review. Frontiers in Public Health, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1303133.
2. Bitsko, R. H., Claussen, A. H., Lichstein, J., Black, L. I., Jones, S. E., Danielson, M. L., Hoenig, J. M., Davis Jack, S. P., Brody, D. J., Gyawali, S., Maenner, M. J., Warner, M., Holland, K. M., Perou, R., Crosby, A. E., Blumberg, S. J., Avenevoli, S., Kaminski, J. W., Ghandour, R. M., & Meyer, L. N. (2022). Mental Health Surveillance Among Children — United States, 2013–2019. MMWR Supplements, 71(2), 1–42. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.su7102a1.
3. Schlack, R., Peerenboom, N., Neuperdt, L., Junker, S., & Beyer, A. K. (b. d.). The effects of mental health problems in childhood and adolescence in young adults: Results of the KiGGS cohort. https://doi.org/10.25646/8863.
4. https://www.who.int/activities/improving-the-mental-and-brain-health-of-children-and-adolescents
5. Bruha, L., Spyridou, V., Forth, G., & Ougrin, D. (2018b). Global child and adolescent mental health: challenges and advances. London Journal of Primary Care, 10(4), 108–109. https://doi.org/10.1080/17571472.2018.1484332
6. Fairfax County Youth Survey illuminates trends in substance use and mental health. (n.d.). Fairfaxcounty.gov. Retrieved January 12, 2025, from https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/community-services-board/news/2024/youth-survey-illuminates-trends-in-substance-use-and-mental-health
7. Palacio-Ortiz, J. D., Londoño-Herrera, J. P., Nanclares-Márquez, A., Robledo-Rengifo, P., & Quintero-Cadavid, C. P. (2020). Psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Revista Colombiana de Psiquiatría (English ed.), 49(4), 279–288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcpeng.2020.11.003
9. Herman, A., Filip, K., Wanke-Rytt, M., & Wolańczyk, T. (b. d.). Practical guidelines for management of patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 hospitalized in a child and adolescent psychiatric ward. Artykuł DOI: https://doi.org/10.12740/PP/OnlineFirst/124899.
10. Guessoum, S. B., Lachal, J., Radjack, R., Carretier, E., Minassian, S., Benoit, L., & Moro, M. R. (2020). Adolescent psychiatric disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Psychiatry Research, 291, 113264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113264
11. Stracke, M., Heinzl, M., Müller, A. D., Gilbert, K., Thorup, A. A. E., Paul, J. L., & Christiansen, H. (2023). Mental Health Is a Family Affair—Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Associations between Mental Health Problems in Parents and Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(5), 4485. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054485
12. Grzejszczak, J., Strzelecki, D., Gabryelska, A., & Kotlicka-Antczak, M. (2024). Evaluation of COVID-19 effect on mental health, self-harm, and suicidal behaviors in children and adolescents population. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 13(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13030744
13. Adolescent Mental. (n.d.). National survey of children’s health. Hrsa.gov. Retrieved January 12, 2025, from https://mchb.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/mchb/data-research/nsch-data-brief-adolescent-mental-behavioral-health-2023.pdf
14. Grzejszczak, J., Strzelecki, D., Gabryelska, A., & Kotlicka-Antczak, M. (2024). Evaluation of COVID-19 Effect on Mental Health, Self-Harm, and Suicidal Behaviors in Children and Adolescents Population. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 13(3), 744. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13030744
15. Bai, M.-S., Miao, C.-Y., Zhang, Y., Xue, Y., Jia, F.-Y., & Du, L. (2022). COVID-19 and mental health disorders in children and adolescents (Review). Psychiatry Research, 317, 114881. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114881
16. https://forumprzeciwdepresji.pl/932/depresja-podstawowe-informacje
17. Madigan, S., Racine, N., Vaillancourt, T., Korczak, D. J., Hewitt, J. M. A., Pador, P., Park, J. L., McArthur, B. A., Holy, C., & Neville, R. D. (2023). Changes in Depression and Anxiety Among Children and Adolescents From Before to During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.0846
19. Ougrin, D., Wong, B. H.-c., Vaezinejad, M., Plener, P. L., Mehdi, T., Romaniuk, L., Barrett, E., Hussain, H., Lloyd, A., Tolmac, J., Rao, M., Chakrabarti, S., Carucci, S., Moghraby, O. S., Elvins, R., Rozali, F., Skouta, E., McNicholas, F., Kuruppuaracchi, N., ... Landau, S. (2021). Pandemic-related emergency psychiatric presentations for self-harm of children and adolescents in 10 countries (PREP-kids): a retrospective international cohort study. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-021-01741-6
20. Catani, C. (2018). Mental health of children living in war zones: a risk and protection perspective. World Psychiatry, 17(1), 104–105. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20496
21. Bürgin, D., Anagnostopoulos, D., Anagnostopoulos, D., Doyle, M., Eliez, S., Fegert, J., Fuentes, J., Hebebrand, J., Hillegers, M., Karwautz, A., Kiss, E., Kotsis, K., Pejovic-Milovancevic, M., Räberg Christensen, A. M., Raynaud, J.-P., Crommen, S., Çetin, F. Ç., Boricevic, V. M., Kehoe, L., ... Fegert, J. M. (2022). Impact of war and forced displacement on children’s mental health—multilevel, needs-oriented, and trauma-informed approaches. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-022-01974-z
22. Erlewein, K., Gossmann, E., & Fegert, J. M. (2024). Parental conscription and cumulative adverse experiences in war-affected children and adolescents and their impact on mental health: a comment following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-024-00732-0
23. Śliwerski, A., & Kossakowska, K. (2023). The mental functioning of school-age children in Poland since the outbreak of war in Ukraine and during the subsequent refugee crisis. Child Abuse & Neglect, 106500. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106500
24. Wójtowicz-Szefler, M., Grzankowska, I., & Deja, M. (2023). The mental condition of Polish adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine. Frontiers in Public Health, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1257384
25. Lass-Hennemann, J., Sopp, M. R., Ruf, N., Equit, M., Schäfer, S. K., Wirth, B. E., & Michael, T. (2024). Generation climate crisis, COVID-19, and Russia–Ukraine-War: global crises and mental health in adolescents. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 33(7), 2203–2216. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-023-02300-x
26. Wójtowicz-Szefler, M., Grzankowska, I., & Deja, M. (2023). The mental condition of Polish adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine. Frontiers in Public Health, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1257384
27. Bendavid, E., Boerma, T., Akseer, N., Langer, A., Malembaka, E. B., Okiro, E. A., Wise, P. H., Heft-Neal, S., Black, R. E., Bhutta, Z. A., Bhutta, Z., Black, R., Blanchet, K., Boerma, T., Gaffey, M., Langer, A., Spiegel, P., Waldman, R., & Wise, P. (2021). The effects of armed conflict on the health of women and children. Lancet, 397(10273), 522–532. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(21)00131-8
28. Nicotra, C. M., & Strawn, J. R. (2023). Advances in pharmacotherapy for pediatric anxiety disorders. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 32(3), 573–587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2023.02.006
29. Zugman, A., Winkler, A. M., Qamar, P., & Pine, D. S. (2024). Current and future approaches to pediatric anxiety disorder treatment. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 181(3), 189–200. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.20231037
30. Walsh, K., Furey, W. J., & Malhi, N. (2021). Narrative review: COVID-19 and pediatric anxiety. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 144, 421–426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.10.013
31. Fortuna, L. R., Brown, I. C., Lewis Woods, G. G., & Porche, M. V. (2023). The impact of COVID-19 on anxiety disorders in youth: Coping with stress, worry, and recovering from a pandemic. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 32(3), 531–542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2023.02.002
32. McElroy, E., Hyland, P., Shevlin, M., Karatzias, T., Vallières, F., Ben-Ezra, M., Vang, M. L., Lorberg, B., & Martsenkovskyi, D. (2024). Change in child mental health during the Ukraine war: evidence from a large sample of parents. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 33(5), 1495–1502. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-023-02255-z
33. Vintilă, M., Kalaitzaki, A., Turliuc, M. N., Goian, C., & Tudorel, O. I. (2023). Editorial: The war in Ukraine: impact on mental health on a global level. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1226184. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1226184
34. Dickson, S. J., Kuhnert, R.-L., Lavell, C. H., & Rapee, R. M. (2022). Impact of psychotherapy for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders on global and domain-specific functioning: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 25(4), 720–736. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-022-00402-7
35. Elayeh, E., Akour, A., & Haddadin, R. N. (2021). Prevalence and predictors of self-medication drugs to prevent or treat COVID-19: Experience from a Middle Eastern country. International Journal of Clinical Practice, 75(11), e14860. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcp.14860
36. Segal, H., Benis, A., Saar, S., Shachar-Lavie, I., & Fennig, S. (2024). Digital platform for pediatric mental health support during armed conflicts: Development and usability study. JMIR Formative Research, 8, e63777. https://doi.org/10.2196/63777
37. Dickson, S. J., Kuhnert, R.-L., Lavell, C. H., & Rapee, R. M. (2022). Impact of psychotherapy for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders on global and domain-specific functioning: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 25(4), 720–736. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-022-00402-7
38. Fortuna, L. R., Brown, I. C., Lewis Woods, G. G., & Porche, M. V. (2023). The impact of COVID-19 on anxiety disorders in youth: Coping with stress, worry, and recovering from a pandemic. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 32(3), 531–542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2023.02.002
39. Vostanis, P. (2024). Mental health provision for children affected by war and armed conflicts. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 33(9), 3293–3299. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-024-02492-w
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Katarzyna Gadżała, Sabina Przygodzka, Maciej Rutkiewicz, Karolina Garbino, Katarzyna Brudniak, Antoni Szuścik , Magdalena Czyczerska
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Stats
Number of views and downloads: 119
Number of citations: 0
