Emotional and behavioral problems in adolescents in the context of COVID-19: a mixed method study.
Carolina Ferreira Peterle, Caroline Lima Fonseca, Bruna Hinnah Borges Martins de Freitas and 3 others
PMID 36351087WHAT IT FOUND
61.17% of adolescents in Brazilian schools were classified as having emotional and behavioral problems during the pandemic, especially girls.
They described loneliness, anxiety, sadness, lost friendships, and distraction from smartphones.
Key findings
0161.17% of adolescents were classified as having emotional and behavioral problems, and girls had 2.93 times the odds of boys.
02Peer relationship problems (54.49%) and emotional symptoms (52.40%) were the most prevalent problem areas.
03Focus group participants described loneliness, anxiety, sadness, and powerlessness, and linked distress to school closure, restricted social contact, and distance from friends.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The survey was cross-sectional, so it shows what was present at one point in time but cannot show that the pandemic caused emotional and behavioral problems. The data came from adolescents' self-report, so answers may have been affected by what they thought was acceptable to report. Many schools refused to participate because of demands from remote teaching, so the sample may not represent all adolescents in Cuiabá. Cases were defined using high or borderline scores, so the reported problem prevalence includes adolescents who were not classified as abnormal. The qualitative phase included a small group of adolescents selected because they already had identified emotional and behavioral problems, so it describes their views, not the views of all adolescents. The study did not test a nursing screening or intervention programme.
Declared interests
The paper says publication was supported by PAHO/WHO and the study by CNPq. It also says the article came from a call on adolescent health and the role of nurses, edited by a nursing school and a PAHO/WHO collaborating centre. No author conflict-of-interest statement is provided.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the high prevalence and sex differences as proof that the pandemic caused emotional and behavioral problems or that nursing screening works. The study is self-report and cross-sectional, so it cannot establish causality.