Gender and Age Differences in ADHD Symptoms and Co-occurring Depression and Anxiety Symptoms Among Children and Adolescents in the BELLA Study.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. Current studies addressing gender and age differences in ADHD are lacking. The present study aims to fill this research gap by dimensionally evaluating gender and age differences in ADHD symptoms, as measured by a DSM-5-based parent rating scale, in children and adolescents who participated in the two-year follow-up of the community-based BELLA study (n = 1326). Associations between ADHD symptoms and depression symptoms and anxiety symptoms were also examined. Multiple linear regressions revealed significant associations between gender and all ADHD symptoms. Age was significantly associated with hyperactive/impulsive symptoms. Additional multiple linear regressions demonstrated significant positive associations between depression and anxiety symptoms and ADHD symptoms. Further, female gender was found to be positively associated with both depression and anxiety symptoms. These findings may suggest a need for more gender-specific approaches to ADHD diagnosis and treatment, as well as more research into the intersections of ADHD and depression and anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents.

Three years into the pandemic: results of the longitudinal German COPSY study on youth mental health and health-related quality of life.

Purpose: For the past three years, the German longitudinal COPSY (COVID-19 and PSYchological Health) study has monitored changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and the mental health of children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A nationwide, population-based survey was conducted in May-June 2020 (W1), December 2020-January 2021 (W2), September-October 2021 (W3), February 2022 (W4), and September-October 2022 (W5). In total, n = 2,471 children and adolescents aged 7-17 years (n = 1,673 aged 11-17 years with self-reports) were assessed using internationally established and validated measures of HRQoL (KIDSCREEN-10), mental health problems (SDQ), anxiety (SCARED), depressive symptoms (CES-DC, PHQ-2), psychosomatic complaints (HBSC-SCL), and fear about the future (DFS-K). Findings were compared to prepandemic population-based data. Results: While the prevalence of low HRQoL increased from 15% prepandemic to 48% at W2, it improved to 27% at W5. Similarly, overall mental health problems rose from 18% prepandemic to W1 through W2 (30-31%), and since then slowly declined (W3: 27%, W4: 29%, W5: 23%). Anxiety doubled from 15% prepandemic to 30% in W2 and declined to 25% (W5) since then. Depressive symptoms increased from 15%/10% (CES-DC/PHQ-2) prepandemic to 24%/15% in W2, and slowly decreased to 14%/9% in W5. Psychosomatic complaints are across all waves still on the rise. 32-44% of the youth expressed fears related to other current crises. Conclusion: Mental health of the youth improved in year 3 of the pandemic, but is still lower than before the pandemic.

Systematic Review of Gender-Specific Child and Adolescent Mental Health Care.

Gender differences in mental health emerge as early as in childhood and adolescence, highlighting the potential need for gender-specific child and adolescent mental health care. However, it is unclear how gender-specific child and adolescent mental health care is implemented and whether its' approaches are useful. Therefore, this study reviews gender-specific interventions and their effectiveness for child and adolescent mental health. Five databases were searched for articles published between 2000 and 2021. In total, 43 studies were included. Most interventions were conducted in school (n = 15) or community settings (n = 8). Substance-related disorders (n = 13) and eating disorders (n = 12) were addressed most frequently. Most interventions targeted girls (n = 31). Various gender-specific aspects were considered, including gender-specific risk and protective factors (n = 35) and needs (n = 35). Although most interventions yielded significant improvements in mental health outcomes (n = 32), only few studies reported medium or large effect sizes (n = 13). Additionally, there was a lack of strong causal evidence derived from randomized controlled trials, calling for more rigorous trials in the research field. Nevertheless, our findings indicate that gender-specific mental health care can be a promising approach to meet gender-specific mental health needs.

Mental health and quality of life in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review of longitudinal studies.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the mental health of children and families, i.e., due to measures like social distancing and remote schooling. While previous research has shown negative effects on mental health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), most studies have focused on pre-post comparisons in the early pandemic stages. This systematic review aims to examine longitudinal studies to understand the long-term impacts of the pandemic on children and adolescents. Methods: This systematic review adhered to the PRISMA guidelines and was preregistered in the international prospective register of systematic reviews (Record ID: CRD42022336930). We systematically searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX, and the WHO-COVID-19 database and included studies published up to August 30, 2022. Based on pre-defined eligibility criteria, longitudinal and prospective studies that assessed the mental health or quality of life of children or adolescents (0-19 years) in the general population over a longer time span (at two or more measurement points) during the COVID-19 pandemic were included in the review. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using an adapted version of the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) checklist. Narrative data synthesis was used to summarize the findings. Results: A total of 5,099 results were obtained from literature searches, with 4,935 excluded during title/abstract screening. After reviewing 163 full-text articles, 24 publications were included in the review. Sample sizes ranged between n = 86 and n = 34,038. The length of the investigated time periods and the number of assessment points, as well as outcomes, varied. The majority of studies were of moderate methodological quality. Mental health outcomes were more frequently studied compared to measures of HRQoL. The findings from these studies mostly suggest that children and adolescents experienced heightened mental health problems, specifically internalizing symptoms like anxiety and depression. Further, there was a decline in their overall HRQoL over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic that did not necessarily subside when lockdowns ended. Conclusion: It is crucial to continue monitoring the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents following the pandemic to identify groups at risks and plan interventions. This should ideally be conducted by large systematic studies, using validated instruments, and encompassing representative samples to obtain reliable and comprehensive insights with the aim of improving youth mental health care.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of the Three-Wave Longitudinal COPSY Study.

PURPOSE: The German population-based longitudinal COVID-19 andPsychological Health study monitors changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and mental health of children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic and identifies vulnerable groups. METHODS: A nationwide, population-based survey was conducted in May 2020 to June 2020 (Wave 1), December 2020 to January 2021 (Wave 2), and September 2021 to October 2021 (Wave 3). In total, n = 2,097 children and adolescents aged 7-17 years were investigated using measures to assess HRQoL (KIDSCREEN-10), mental health problems (SDQ), anxiety (SCARED), depressive symptoms(PHQ-2), and psychosomatic complaints(HBSC-SCL). RESULTS: The prevalence of low HRQoL increased from 15% prepandemic to 40% and 48% in Waves 1 and 2 and improved slightly to 35% in Wave 3 (all differences significant). Similarly, overall mental health problems increased from 18% prepandemic to 29% in Wave 1 and 31% in Wave 2 to 28% in Wave 3 (all differences significant, except Wave 3 vs. 2), anxiety increased from 15% prepandemic to 24% and 30% in Waves 1 and 2 and was still 27% in Wave 3. Depressive symptoms increased from 10% prepandemic to 11% and 15% in Waves 1 and 2 and were 11% in Wave 3. A group with low parental education, restricted living conditions, migration background, and parental mental health problems was at significantly increased risk of HRQoL and mental health impairments. DISCUSSION: The prevalence of low HRQoL, mental health problems, and anxiety has been elevated throughout the pandemic. Thus, mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention strategies need to be implemented to support adolescents-particularly those at risk.