Mental health and quality of life in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review of longitudinal studies.

Abstract in brief

• This systematic review investigates how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the mental health and quality of life of children and adolescents over the long term, focusing on studies that tracked these changes over multiple time points rather than just before and after the pandemic.
• Researchers followed strict guidelines (PRISMA) and searched multiple databases, ending up with 24 relevant studies that included a wide range of sample sizes and assessment periods to analyze the pandemic's lasting impact on youth mental health.
• The findings show varying results, but mental health issues were more frequently studied, highlighting concerns about the prolonged effects of pandemic-related measures like social distancing and remote schooling on young people's well-being.]