- Youth-reported pre-pandemic anxiety severity predicted greater behavioural and emotional difficulties during the first 15 months of the pandemic.
- Mother-reported pre-pandemic youth depression and higher family accommodation predicted increased youth difficulties over time.
- Overall difficulties remained relatively stable; males showed higher difficulties than females, underscoring the need to prioritise support and address family accommodation.
Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2026 May 18. doi: 10.1007/s10578-026-02026-2. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic had broad influences on youth psychological well-being. Relative to short-term, cross-sectional research in non-clinical samples, fewer studies examined the impact of pre-pandemic factors on longitudinal mental health consequences in clinical samples. The current study investigated changes in behavioral and emotional difficulties among 54 clinically anxious youth aged 6-17 during the first 15 months of the pandemic, in relation to pre-pandemic anxiety, depression, and family accommodation. Youth and their mothers were evaluated at an anxiety clinic before and during the early pandemic. Multilevel analyses revealed that male youth experienced higher difficulties than females. Youth-reported pre-pandemic anxiety severity predicted youth difficulties during the pandemic, whereas mother-reported pre-pandemic youth depression and family accommodation predicted youth difficulties over time. Overall, youth difficulties remained relatively stable. Findings highlight the importance of prioritizing mental health support for youth with elevated anxiety and depression while addressing family accommodation before and/or during large-scale disasters.
PMID:42149396 | DOI:10.1007/s10578-026-02026-2
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