ABSTRACT
Aims: Children and adolescents were affected in various ways by the measures due to COVID-19 pandemic. The aims of this study were to investigate and compare the effects on mental health across age, to identify latent class trajectories of emotional and behavioural problems over 12-months and to examine the association of classes of trajectories with baseline demographic and clinical predictors. Method(s): Children (n = 1854) and adolescents (n = 1243) from the general population were assessed baseline, at 6-, 9-, and 12-month follow-up. They were eligible if they were residents in Austria, Germany, or Switzerland, were parents/caregivers of a child aged between 7 and 10 years or adolescents >=11 years, had sufficient German language skills and provided informed consent. Results and Conclusion(s): Significant age-effects were found regarding type and frequency of problems. While children had the largest increase in aggressive behaviours, adolescents reported the largest increase in emotional problems. Sociodemographic variables, exposure to and appraisal of COVID-19, psychotherapy before COVID-19 and parental mental health significantly predicted change in problemscores (F >= 3.69, p <= .001). Using growth mixture modelling, a oneclass solution was detected for the trajectory of aggressive behaviours and a two- and three-class solution for withdrawn/depression and anxiety/depression. A substantial proportion of children and adolescents experienced age-related mental health problems during the different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. These results suggest that psychological problems of specific sub-groups should be monitored over the longer-term and interventions to improve communication, emotion regulation, and appraisal style should be offered to risk groups.
ABSTRACT
We provide an empirical analysis of the determinants of cumulative COVID infection rates at 1069 U.S. colleges and universities during the 2020–21 academic year. We propose that financially constrained educational institutions faced a trade-off between the reduction of COVID infection risks and an institution's educational, social, reputational, and financial goals. We find that cumulative infection rates are higher at wealthier institutions, measured by higher endowments per student or higher tuition rates. Institutions with lower enrollment yields in admissions also have higher COVID infection rates, perhaps reflecting the greater influence of student preferences on decision making at these institutions. Economies of scale in COVID mitigation emerge gradually over the course of the year. Finally, COVID infection rates do not differ significantly for otherwise similar public and private institutions in states with Democratic governors, but they are significantly higher for public institutions in states with Republican governors. © 2023 The Southern Economic Association.