Recovery trajectories of mental health symptoms among Chinese adolescents following the end of COVID-19
BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on global mental health, particularly among adolescents. However, little is known about how mental health symptoms recover after the pandemic subsides. This study aims to examine the recovery trajectories of ten mental health problems and sui...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1396911/full |
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| author | Jun Peng Meihui He Yongxing Guo Yongxing Guo Yongxing Guo Jiangdong Diao Jiangdong Diao Kun Chen Ziyi Deng Lei Mo Ruixiang Gao |
| author_facet | Jun Peng Meihui He Yongxing Guo Yongxing Guo Yongxing Guo Jiangdong Diao Jiangdong Diao Kun Chen Ziyi Deng Lei Mo Ruixiang Gao |
| author_sort | Jun Peng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on global mental health, particularly among adolescents. However, little is known about how mental health symptoms recover after the pandemic subsides. This study aims to examine the recovery trajectories of ten mental health problems and suicidal ideation among Chinese adolescents post-pandemic, with a focus on identifying factors that influence different recovery patterns.MethodsA total of 2,534 adolescents participated in a three-wave survey, conducted in June 2022, November 2022, and March 2023, using the Mental Health Scale for Chinese Middle School Students. A novel index was developed to account for both the number and severity of mental health risk factors, allowing for the classification of psychological symptoms into three subgroups: no, moderate, and severe. Polynomial regression models were applied to determine the acceleration inflection point, and multivariate logistic regressions identified predictors of trajectory membership.ResultsSignificant declines in psychological symptoms were observed. Seven trajectory patterns were identified: resistance (37.85%), recovery (22.61%), chronic-dysfunction (12.08%), aftermath-deterioration (10.81%), stress-responsiveness (8.21%), vulnerability (5.76%), and remitting (2.68%). Being female, senior high school students, and the oldest child in the family hindered mental health recovery, whereas parenting styles of companionship, empathetic support, promise fulfillment, and behavior intervention served as protective factors.ConclusionThis study is one of the first to reveal the post-pandemic mental health recovery trajectories of Chinese adolescents, highlighting the importance of considering both the number and severity of cumulative mental health problems. The findings offer valuable insights into suicide prevention and the development of targeted interventions to support youth mental health recovery. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9ea6954bac33470a9011997fea14353e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-9ea6954bac33470a9011997fea14353e2025-01-07T14:45:48ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652024-12-011210.3389/fpubh.2024.13969111396911Recovery trajectories of mental health symptoms among Chinese adolescents following the end of COVID-19Jun Peng0Meihui He1Yongxing Guo2Yongxing Guo3Yongxing Guo4Jiangdong Diao5Jiangdong Diao6Kun Chen7Ziyi Deng8Lei Mo9Ruixiang Gao10Center for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, and School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, ChinaCenter for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, and School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, ChinaCenter for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, and School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, ChinaDiggMind Psychometric Testing Technology Co., Guangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Psychology, School of Education Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, ChinaCenter for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, and School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, ChinaNanjing Gulou District Education Bureau, Nanjing, ChinaCenter for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, and School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, ChinaCenter for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, and School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, ChinaCenter for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, and School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, ChinaCenter for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, and School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, ChinaBackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on global mental health, particularly among adolescents. However, little is known about how mental health symptoms recover after the pandemic subsides. This study aims to examine the recovery trajectories of ten mental health problems and suicidal ideation among Chinese adolescents post-pandemic, with a focus on identifying factors that influence different recovery patterns.MethodsA total of 2,534 adolescents participated in a three-wave survey, conducted in June 2022, November 2022, and March 2023, using the Mental Health Scale for Chinese Middle School Students. A novel index was developed to account for both the number and severity of mental health risk factors, allowing for the classification of psychological symptoms into three subgroups: no, moderate, and severe. Polynomial regression models were applied to determine the acceleration inflection point, and multivariate logistic regressions identified predictors of trajectory membership.ResultsSignificant declines in psychological symptoms were observed. Seven trajectory patterns were identified: resistance (37.85%), recovery (22.61%), chronic-dysfunction (12.08%), aftermath-deterioration (10.81%), stress-responsiveness (8.21%), vulnerability (5.76%), and remitting (2.68%). Being female, senior high school students, and the oldest child in the family hindered mental health recovery, whereas parenting styles of companionship, empathetic support, promise fulfillment, and behavior intervention served as protective factors.ConclusionThis study is one of the first to reveal the post-pandemic mental health recovery trajectories of Chinese adolescents, highlighting the importance of considering both the number and severity of cumulative mental health problems. The findings offer valuable insights into suicide prevention and the development of targeted interventions to support youth mental health recovery.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1396911/fullrecovery trajectoryCOVID-19cumulative mental health risksuicidal ideationseverity |
| spellingShingle | Jun Peng Meihui He Yongxing Guo Yongxing Guo Yongxing Guo Jiangdong Diao Jiangdong Diao Kun Chen Ziyi Deng Lei Mo Ruixiang Gao Recovery trajectories of mental health symptoms among Chinese adolescents following the end of COVID-19 Frontiers in Public Health recovery trajectory COVID-19 cumulative mental health risk suicidal ideation severity |
| title | Recovery trajectories of mental health symptoms among Chinese adolescents following the end of COVID-19 |
| title_full | Recovery trajectories of mental health symptoms among Chinese adolescents following the end of COVID-19 |
| title_fullStr | Recovery trajectories of mental health symptoms among Chinese adolescents following the end of COVID-19 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Recovery trajectories of mental health symptoms among Chinese adolescents following the end of COVID-19 |
| title_short | Recovery trajectories of mental health symptoms among Chinese adolescents following the end of COVID-19 |
| title_sort | recovery trajectories of mental health symptoms among chinese adolescents following the end of covid 19 |
| topic | recovery trajectory COVID-19 cumulative mental health risk suicidal ideation severity |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1396911/full |
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