Poster #71 - Peruvian Adolescent Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Four Time-point Longitudinal Study

• In Event: Poster Session 04

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought upon a variety of challenges including social isolation and psychological distress (Essau & Torre-Luque, 2021; Haleem, Javid, & Vaishya, 2020). Numerous studies have started to identify the effects that the pandemic has had on the mental health of adults (Santomauro et al. 2021, Barros et al., 2020; Cortés-Álvarez, Piñeiro-Lamas, & Vuelvas-Olmos, 2020; Mautong et al., 2021). For adolescents going through biological, social, and psychological transitions, lockdown measures in response to the pandemic have created challenges in socialization due to the transition to online education, resulting in drastic reductions in social interactions with classmates, access to sports, clubs, and other extracurricular activities (Hussong et al., 2021). This limitation in social interactions has contributed to an increase in loneliness and has negatively impacted adolescent mental health and well-being (Cauberghe et al., 2021; Hussong et al., 2021).

The current study aimed to shed light on the mental health and well-being of Peruvian adolescents. This four time-point longitudinal observational study aimed to investigate symptoms of anxiety and depression, feelings of loneliness, and life satisfaction among low-to-middle income Peruvian adolescents during two years of remote schooling during the COVID-19 lockdown. Data was collected in April 2020, October 2020, June 2021, and November 2021 in Perú. A total of 2392 adolescents (ages 10-15; 57% female) who attend a network of low-cost private schools across the country participated in the study.

Symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Short Form (PROMIS; Pilkonis et al., 2011; PROMISE V2; Quimm et al., 2014). Loneliness was assessed using the UCLA Loneliness Scale (Russell, 1996). Life satisfaction was assessed using the single-item Life Satisfaction Scale (SLSS-1; Cheung & Lucas, 2014). All questionnaires were administered remotely.

We investigated sex and school-grade differences. Results showed evidence of robust sex differences in terms of trajectories and main effects. Symptoms of anxiety (bOct2020 = 1.01, 95% CI [0.43,1.58], bJun2021 = 1.40, 95% CI [0.80, 2.01], bNov2021 = 2.34, 95% CI [1.70, 2.98]) and depression (bOct2020 = 2.85, 95% CI [0.98,4.77], bJun2021 = 4.57, 95% CI [2.46,6.67], bNov2021 = 5.39, 95% CI [3.25,7.54]), and feelings of loneliness (bOct2020 = 0.94, 95% CI [0.57,2.45], bJun2021 = 1.68, 95% CI [0.05,3.30], bNov2021 = 2.12, 95% CI [0.37,3.86]) increased for females across all time points. Females also had lower levels of well-being than males and worse symptoms over the two years compared to their male peers, who remained relatively stable. Females experienced a deterioration in their life satisfaction [(bOct2020 = -0.07, 95% CI [-0.22,0.09], bJun2021 = -0.23, 95% CI [-0.39,-0.07], bNov2021 = -0.21, 95% CI [-0.38,-0.04]), whereas male life satisfaction remained stable. Symptoms of anxiety also increased across all grades. Loneliness and life satisfaction remained similar across grades.

The mental health and well-being of Peruvian adolescents has declined during the pandemic, with females experiencing more detrimental effects to their mental health and well-being. Results from this study highlight the importance of paying close attention to the mental health & well-being of adolescents across the globe, especially female adolescents.

Authors

• Daniela Munoz Lopez, University of Washington
  Presenting Author

• Elizabeth Sherwin

• Camila Quispe Martijena

• Yilin Liu

• Lucía Magis-Weinberg, University of Washington