Prevalence of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and resilience in adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic in a post-armed conflict area in Colombia

Abstract

Abstract The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health of adolescents are emerging and require particular attention in settings where challenges like armed conflict, poverty and internal displacement have previously affected their mental wellbeing. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of mental health problems and symptoms of anxiety and depression, probable post-traumatic stress disorder, and resilience capacity in adolescents in a post-armed conflict area in Colombia during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 657 school attending adolescents aged 12 to 18 years old. Mental health information was obtained through screening scales for anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-8), probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PCL-5) and resilience capacity (CD-RISC-25). The prevalence observed for moderate to severe depression symptoms was 30.0% (CI95%=26.5–33.7) and for moderate to severe anxiety symptoms was 18.9% (CI95%=16.0-22.1). A prevalence of probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) of 22.3% (CI95%=18.1–27.2) was found. The CD-RISC-25 results for resilience had a median score of 54 [IQR:30]. Our results are in line with emerging evidence that suggests multiple domains of adolescents’ mental wellbeing were negatively impacted by the pandemic, and agree with other studies of regions affected by the armed conflict that show an increase in the prevalence of mental health disorders in young populations. In contrast, our data show lower resilience than other studies of adolescents. These findings call for multidisciplinary actions necessary to respond effectively to the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of adolescents, as well as to guarantee a successful educational recovery, being schools key places in which prompt intervention might reduce the burden of mental distress in adolescents.