ArticlePsychological medicine2025
Global burden of mental disorders in children and adolescents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.
Article in Psychological medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 24 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
24 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Metacognitive interventions for adolescents with mental disorders: a scoping review.Pediatric research · 2026Pooled it
- The burden of metabolic diseases in Chinese youth, 1990-2021: a Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.Pediatric research · 2026Article
- Adolescents' Preferences, Experiences, and Views of 2 Online Programs for Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms: Qualitative Interview Study.JMIR pediatrics and parenting · 2026Article
- Momentary Mood and Affiliation Following Social Interactions in the Digital Age: Longitudinal Study Investigating Associations With Anxiety and Depression.JMIR mental health · 2026Article
- Interconnected effects of witnessing household violence, food insecurity, and mental health among peri-urban Cape Town youth: A mediation analysis.Journal of child and adolescent mental health · 2026Article
- Wellbeing While Waiting: Effectiveness and implementation of youth social prescribing for young people awaiting CAMHS support.European child & adolescent psychiatry · 2026Article
- A framework for Global Child and Adolescent Mental Health (GC-CAMH) Curriculum: why the world cannot wait.Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health · 2026Article
- Psychological flexibility as a mediating mechanism linking adverse and positive childhood experiences to suicidal thoughts in emerging adults.BMC pediatrics · 2026Article
- Debate: Young people are living in unprecedented times - too much chaos or too little resilience?: No Pain, No Gain? Why articulating distress marks youth resilience.Child and adolescent mental health · 2026Article
- Longitudinal trends and sociodemographic inequalities in comorbid insufficient physical activity and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents and young adults, 2016-2022.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Comparative Analysis of Prescriptions and Pharmacy Services in Internet-Based Psychiatric Hospital During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: Retrospective Cross-Sectional Observational Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Observational
- Article
- Immersive metaverse art as a psychological intervention for depression and anxiety: a narrative review and multilevel model integrating engagement, cultural identity, and neurocognitive mechanisms.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Review
- Experts' subjective theories: how did they explain post-pandemic school violence in their public discourse through digital media?Frontiers in sociology · 2026Article
- Editorial: Public health strategies to improve mental health in the education sector: perspectives and applications.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Ketamine enantiomers and the gut microbiota: mechanisms, clinical implications, and future directions.Molecular biology reports · 2025Review
- Alarm bells or echoes of hope? A new perspective on the global youth mental health crisis.Psychological medicine · 2025Article
- Mass Trauma in Children: Expanding the Concept of Exposure in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic.Current psychiatry reports · 2025Review
- Child and adolescent mental health burden, policies, and services in high-income countries and areas in the Western Pacific Region.The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific · 2025Review
- Transcultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Spanish version of Participation and Environment Measurement-Children and Youth (PEM-CY).BMC psychology · 2025Article
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Abstract
backgroundChildhood and adolescence are vulnerable periods for mental disorders, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated mental health challenges in this population. We aimed to estimate changes in the global burden of mental disorders among children and adolescents before and during the pandemic.
methodsUsing data from the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2021, we analyzed incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability (YLDs) for mental disorders in individuals aged 5-24. Annual percent changes in age-standardized rates were calculated, and a Bayesian age-period-cohort model estimated the expected and additional burden based on pre-pandemic trends.
resultsIn 2021, an estimated 123.0 million new cases of mental disorders were reported among children and adolescents, with an 11.8% average annual increase in the age-standardized incidence rate during the pandemic. Anxiety disorders, which previously ranked third, became the leading cause of nonfatal disability (12.9 million [8.0-19.3] YLDs), while depressive disorders rose to fourth place (10.9 million [6.8-16.5] YLDs). The burden grew in most regions, especially among females, those aged 15-24, and in high sociodemographic index (SDI) areas. Based on pre-pandemic data, we estimated an additional burden of 795.0, 165.9, and 622.8 new cases per 100,000 population for total mental disorders, anxiety disorders, and depressive disorders globally in 2021, respectively. Spearman correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation between additional burden and SDI levels.
conclusionsThese findings highlight the increased burden of mental disorders among children and adolescents during the pandemic, emphasizing the need for targeted post-pandemic mental health support.
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