More adolescents showed symptoms of depression in the first year of the pandemic. This is shown by a study by the Federal Institute for Population Research. School closings are an important factor.
According to an analysis by the Federal Institute for Population Research, the number of young people with signs of depression increased significantly in the first corona lockdown last year. In the age group of 16 to 19-year-olds, the proportion increased from ten percent to about 25 percent, the institute announced on Wednesday in Wiesbaden, referring to one of his own. In the study, for example, the young people were asked how stressed, overworked, energetic or alone they had mostly felt in the last four weeks.
According to projections, the total number of young people affected nationwide rose accordingly to around 477,000, the institute reported. For its study, which also dealt with the effects of school closings on the level of education and families, it again used analyzes from the so-called family panel pairfam from early summer 2020.
School closings seem to have an effect on the psyche
The Federal Institute also pointed out that the values were based on the adolescents’ self-assessments of typical depressive symptoms. Not all those affected are suffering from depression. Nevertheless, the results indicated that the consequences of school closings on the mental health of children and adolescents are “obviously more serious” than previously assumed. Keeping schools open must have “priority”.
According to the study, the time spent homeschooling and distance learning had different effects on young people’s level of personal learning and development. Around two out of three young people got through the previous restrictions “relatively well” despite some difficulties, explained Martin Bujard from the Federal Institute. It can be assumed that she would have acquired additional skills in this phase, for example in the areas of digitization and self-employment, he emphasized.
On the other hand, according to the analysis, the effects of the pandemic would have particularly disadvantaged children and adolescents from so-called educationally disadvantaged families. The same applies to young people for whom German is not spoken at home. In addition, learning deficits and psychological problems could mutually reinforce each other in some children. However, it is important not to build up too much pressure to learn in the short term. Compensating for educational deficits is a “long-term process”.
