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Thomas HM, Runions KC, Lester L, Lombardi K, Epstein M, Mandzufas J, Barrow T, Ang S, Leahy A, Mullane M, Whelan A, Coffin J, Mitrou F, Zubrick SR, Bowen AC, Gething PW, Cross D. Western Australian adolescent emotional wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2022; 16:4. [PMID: 35027061 PMCID: PMC8756750 DOI: 10.1186/s13034-021-00433-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been vast and are not limited to physical health. Many adolescents have experienced disruptions to daily life, including changes in their school routine and family's financial or emotional security, potentially impacting their emotional wellbeing. In low COVID-19 prevalence settings, the impact of isolation has been mitigated for most young people through continued face-to-face schooling, yet there may still be significant impacts on their wellbeing that could be attributed to the pandemic. METHODS We report on data from 32,849 surveys from Year 7-12 students in 40 schools over two 2020 survey cycles (June/July: 19,240; October: 13,609), drawn from a study of 79 primary and secondary schools across Western Australia, Australia. The Child Health Utility Index (CHU9D) was used to measure difficulties and distress in responding secondary school students only. Using comparable Australian data collected six years prior to the pandemic, the CHU9D was calibrated against the Kessler-10 to establish a reliable threshold for CHU9D-rated distress. RESULTS Compared to 14% of responding 12-18-year-olds in 2013/2014, in both 2020 survey cycles almost 40% of secondary students returned a CHU9D score above a threshold indicative of elevated difficulties and distress. Student distress increased significantly between June and October 2020. Female students, those in older Grades, those with few friendships or perceived poor quality friendships, and those with poor connectedness to school were more likely to score above the threshold. CONCLUSIONS In a large dataset collected during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the proportion of secondary school students with scores indicative of difficulties and distress was substantially higher than a 2013/2014 benchmark, and distress increased as the pandemic progressed, despite the low local prevalence of COVID-19. This may indicate a general decline in social and emotional wellbeing exacerbated by the events of the pandemic. TRIAL REGISTRATION ANZCTRN (ACTRN12620000922976). Retrospectively registered 17/08/2020. https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=380429&isReview=true .
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Affiliation(s)
- H. M. Thomas
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - K. C. Runions
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - L. Lester
- grid.1012.20000 0004 1936 7910University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - K. Lombardi
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia ,grid.1038.a0000 0004 0389 4302Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia
| | - M. Epstein
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - J. Mandzufas
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - T. Barrow
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - S. Ang
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - A. Leahy
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - M. Mullane
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - A. Whelan
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - J. Coffin
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia ,grid.1012.20000 0004 1936 7910University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - F. Mitrou
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - S. R. Zubrick
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - A. C. Bowen
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia ,grid.1012.20000 0004 1936 7910University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia ,grid.410667.20000 0004 0625 8600Perth Children’s Hospital, Perth, Australia
| | - P. W. Gething
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia ,grid.1032.00000 0004 0375 4078Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - D. Cross
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia ,grid.1012.20000 0004 1936 7910University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
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