Child and adolescent mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 outbreak impacted child and adolescent mental health. This five-wave study examined the growth trends of internalizing, externalizing, and sleep symptoms in Italian children and adolescents. It also investigated how individual, pandemic-related, and environmental factors influenced trends throughout the pandemic and lockdown periods until its end in May 2023. Parents reported their children and adolescents (ages 3–18) symptoms, socio-demographics, COVID-19-exposure, and housing characteristics. Results revealed a quadratic growth for internalizing and sleep symptoms and a stable-high trend for externalizing symptoms, within five-week of lockdown, followed by a decrease over two-years. Age and sex moderated these trends, with early adolescent girls exhibiting higher symptom levels even post-pandemic. Hospitalization of family members/friends was associated with increased internalizing symptoms, while access to a balcony/garden influenced all symptoms. Findings suggest the general decline in symptoms reflects the easing of national restrictions, highlighting the role of environmental factors in shaping children's responses.