Teen Girls Experienced Worst Mental Impact of COVID-19 Lockdowns
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Teenage girls were worst affected mentally by pandemic lockdowns compared to other youngsters, according to new research.
The study is believed to be the first to assess whether personal memories predicted declines in the psychological well-being of eight- to 16-year-olds during the pandemic.
Participants were assessed three times during the pandemic. They were asked to write about their personal memory from the first lockdown and to assess their psychological well-being and depressive symptoms.
The “unprecedented” research shows that the mental health of adolescent females fared the worst, according to the findings published in the journal Child Development.
The American and Danish team also found that memories that included more factual information about COVID-19 and included more negative effects predicted more “robust” declines in mental well-being.
The team says their findings underscore how aspects of personal memories might help increase or reduce the negative consequences of the experience of the COVID-19 lockdowns from March 2020 to July 2021.
Originally published by Talker News