ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Concerns about the psychiatric sequelae after COVID-19 infection have increased as the pandemic spreads worldwide. The increase in self-isolation during this pandemic period has also revealed the importance of feelings of loneliness. This study aimed to examine the relationship between baseline inflammation levels, internalizing symptoms, and feelings of loneliness in adolescent COVID-19 survivors in the long term. METHODS: A total of 74 adolescents (41 girls, 55.4%, mean age 14.88) and their parents were included in the study. This cross-sectional study assessed internalizing symptoms via Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) and feelings of loneliness using the UCLA-loneliness scale. Baseline inflammatory markers at COVID-19 diagnosis were collected. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine predictors for depression in adolescents. RESULTS: The most common disorder was Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) (25.7%), and 33.8% of the adolescents were in the clinical range in at least one internalizing domain. Baseline C-Reactive Protein (CRP) levels correlated weakly with MDD scores. Loneliness scores correlated with all internalizing symptoms, strong association with MDD scores. Loneliness, anxiety, and parental anxiety were associated with an increased likelihood of MDD. Baseline CRP positivity did not predict MDD in adolescent COVID-19 survivors. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that anxiety, loneliness, and parental anxiety play an important role in adolescents' experience of depressive symptoms after COVID-19 infection. Thus, screening parental psychopathology and loneliness in COVID-19 survivors seems to be preventive for adolescent mental health problems.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Depressive Disorder, Major , Loneliness , Adolescent , Anxiety/psychology , C-Reactive Protein , COVID-19/psychology , COVID-19 Testing , Cross-Sectional Studies , Depression/psychology , Depressive Disorder, Major/psychology , Female , Humans , Loneliness/psychology , Male , SurvivorsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Information on psychological problems and affecting factors in children hospitalized with the suspicion or diagnosis of COVID-19 is limited. We aimed to screen the psychiatric symptoms of children hospitalized with COVID-19 in Ankara City Children`s Hospital and evaluate the caregivers` depression, anxiety, stress, and resilience levels during hospitalization. METHODS: Among the children and adolescents hospitalized in Ankara City Children`s Hospital between 1 May 2020 and 31 May 2020 due to the diagnosis of COVID-19, those who agreed to participate in the study were included. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS- 21) scale, and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) were used to determine the symptoms. RESULTS: The mean age of study group (n = 49) was 8.7 ± 5.0 years, 59.2% (n = 29) were girls. The mean children`s SDQ-externalizing problems scores were higher in the COVID-19 positive mothers group than the COVID-19 negative mothers` group. The SDQ-total score was positively and strongly correlated with the DASS total score, DASS-depression score, and DASS-anxiety score. BRS scale scores were negatively correlated with the SDQtotal, externalizing, and DASS-21scale scores. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 positivity in mothers could be associated with externalizing problems in children. The high resilience of caregivers of inpatients seems to be related to less psychopathology in children. During hospitalization, caregivers` psychological evaluation and psychosocial support may be important for preventive child mental health.