Emotional state, life satisfaction and worries regarding COVID-19 in Spanish and Chilean adolescents during Spring 2020

Ciudad-Fernández, Víctor; Schoeps, Konstanze; Montoya-Castilla, Inmaculada

doi:10.2478/sjcapp-2022-0015

Abstract

Background

The lockdown due to COVID-19, has affected the mental health of the population. Recent literature suggests a greater psychological impact on adolescents regardless of their cultural background.

Objective

The aim is to analyze the emotional state, life satisfaction and worries about COVID-19 in Chilean and Spanish adolescents.

Method

A total of 1078 adolescents (M=15.18; SD=1.25) completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, the COVID-19 Worry Scale and the Life Satisfaction Scale. The design was cross-sectional and descriptive. Descriptive analyses, t-tests, and linear regressions were performed.

Results

More emotional symptoms, worries and lower life satisfaction were observed in Chile. Girls had more worries and emotional symptoms. An affected psychological state is also observed in Spanish adolescents, especially in Chilean adolescents. Worries about COVID-19 affect depression, anxiety, stress and life satisfaction in both samples.

Conclusions

Further research is needed to prevent psychological distress in future pandemics. Developing tailored interventions are encouraged.

References

Amer F, Hammoud S, Farran B, Boncz I, Endrei D. Assessment of Countries’ Preparedness and Lockdown Effectiveness in Fighting COVID-19. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness [Internet]. 2021 Apr 1
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Brooks SK, Webster RK, Smith LE, Woodland L, Wessely S, Greenberg N, et al. The psychological impact of quarantine and how to reduce it: rapid review of the evidence. The Lancet. 2020 Mar 14;395(10227):912–20.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Blakemore SJ. Adolescence and mental health. The Lancet. 2019 May 18;393(10185):2030–1.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Antúnez Z, Vinet E v. Escalas de depresión, ansiedad y estrés (DASS - 21): Validación de la versión abreviada en estudiantes universitarios Chilenos. Terapia Psicologica. 2012;30(3):49–55.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Canals J, Voltas N, Hernández-Martínez C, Cosi S, Arija V. Prevalence of DSM-5 anxiety disorders, comorbidity, and persistence of symptoms in Spanish early adolescents. Springer [Internet]. 2019 Jan 30.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Goldbeck L, Schmitz TG, Besier T, Herschbach P, Henrich G. Life satisfaction decreases during adolescence. Quality of Life Research [Internet]. 2007 Aug 12
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Singh S, Roy D, Sinha K, Parveen S, Sharma G, Joshi G. Impact of COVID-19 and lockdown on mental health of children and adolescents: A narrative review with recommendations. Psychiatry Research. 2020 Nov 1;293:113429.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Magson NR, Freeman JYA, Rapee RM, Richardson CE, Oar EL, Fardouly J. Risk and Protective Factors for Prospective Changes in Adolescent Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Youth and Adolescence [Internet]. 2021 Jan 1 [cited 2021 Nov 29];50(1):44–57.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ravens-Sieberer U, Kaman A, Erhart M, Devine J, Schlack R, Otto C. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on quality of life and mental health in children and adolescents in Germany. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry [Internet]. 2021 Jan 25 [cited 2021 Nov 29];1:1–11.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Liébana-Presa C, Martínez-Fernández MC, Benítez-Andrades JA, Fernández-Martínez E, Marqués-Sánchez P, García-Rodríguez I. Stress, Emotional Intelligence and the Intention to Use Cannabis in Spanish Adolescents: Influence of COVID-19 Confinement. Frontiers in Psychology [Internet]. 2020 Dec 11:582578.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Orgilés M, Morales A, Delvecchio E, Mazzeschi C, Espada JP. Immediate Psychological Effects of the COVID-19 Quarantine in Youth From Italy and Spain. Frontiers in Psychology. 2020 Nov 6;11:2986.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Fischman P, Irarrazaval M. Debate: Mental health, social crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile. Child and Adolescent Mental Health [Internet]. 2020 Nov 1.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Tamales Morales C. Salud mental de los niños, niñas y adolescentes en situación de confinamiento. Revista anales. 2020;17:303–18.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ramirez S, Aldunate MP, Arriagada C, Bueno M, Cuevas F, González X, et al. Brief Research Report: The Association Between Educational Experiences and Covid-19 Pandemic-Related Variables, and Mental Health Among Children and Adolescents. Frontiers in Psychiatry [Internet]. 2021 Apr 29;12:647456.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Panda PK, Gupta J, Chowdhury SR, Kumar R, Meena AK, Madaan P, et al. Psychological and Behavioral Impact of Lockdown and Quarantine Measures for COVID-19 Pandemic on Children, Adolescents and Caregivers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Tropical Pediatrics [Internet]. 2021 Jan 29;67(1).
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Tamarit A, de La Barrera U, Mónaco E, Schoeps K, Montoya-Castilla I, Schoeps K. Psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic in Spanish adolescents: risk and protective factors of emotional symptoms. Revista de Psicología Clínica con Niños y Adolescentes [Internet]. 2020;7(3):73–80.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Li SH, Beames JR, Newby JM, Maston K, Christensen H, Werner-Seidler A. The impact of COVID-19 on the lives and mental health of Australian adolescents. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry [Internet]. 2021 Apr 28;1:1–13.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Kämpfen F, Kohler I v., Ciancio A, de Bruin WB, Maurer J, Kohler HP. Predictors of mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic in the US: Role of economic concerns, health worries and social distancing. PLOS ONE [Internet]. 2020 Nov 1;15(11):e0241895.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Wilson JM, Lee J, Shook NJ. COVID-19 worries and mental health: the moderating effect of age. Aging and Mental Health [Internet]. 2020;25(7):1289–96.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Blix I, Birkeland MS, Thoresen S. Worry and mental health in the Covid-19 pandemic: vulnerability factors in the general Norwegian population. BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1):1–10
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Panchal U, Salazar de Pablo G, Franco M, Moreno C, Parellada M, Arango C, et al. The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on child and adolescent mental health: systematic review. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 2021 Aug 18;
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Polanczyk G v., Salum GA, Sugaya LS, Caye A, Rohde LA. Annual Research Review: A meta-analysis of the worldwide prevalence of mental disorders in children and adolescents. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 2015 Mar;56(3):345–65.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Kohn R, Ali AA, Puac-Polanco V, Figueroa C, López-Soto V, Morgan K, et al. Mental health in the Americas: an overview of the treatment gap. Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública. 2018;42.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Kola L, Kohrt BA, Hanlon C, Naslund JA, Sikander S, Balaji M, et al. COVID-19 mental health impact and responses in low-income and middle-income countries: reimagining global mental health. The Lancet Psychiatry. 2021 Jun;8(6):535–50.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Rueda-Salazar S, Spijker J, Devolder D, Albala C. The contribution of social participation to differences in life expectancy and healthy years among the older population: A comparison between Chile, Costa Rica and Spain. PLOS ONE. 2021 Mar 12;16(3):e0248179.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Cindrich SL, Lansing JE, Brower CS, McDowell CP, Herring MP, Meyer JD. Associations Between Change in Outside Time Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Public Health Restrictions and Mental Health: Brief Research Report. Frontiers in Public Health. 2021 Jan 26;9:619129.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
von Soest T, Bakken A, Pedersen W, Sletten MA. Life satisfaction among adolescents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tidsskrift for Den norske legeforening [Internet]. 2020 Jun 1;140(10).
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Mónaco E, Schoeps K, Valero-Moreno S, Castro-Calvo J, Montoya-Castilla I, del Rosario C, et al. Cross-cultural validation of the Worries about COVID-19 and its Consequences Scale (W-COV) in adolescents. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing. 2021 Oct;40:158–66.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Lovibond PF, Lovibond SH. The structure of negative emotional states: Comparison of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) with the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. Behaviour Research and Therapy. 1995 Mar 1;33(3):335–43.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bados A, Solanas A, Andrés R. Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS). Psicothema. 2005 17:679-83.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Diener E, Emmons RA, Larsem RJ, Griffin S. The Satisfaction With Life Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment [Internet]. 1985 Feb 1;49(1):71–5.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ortuño-Sierra J, Aritio-Solana R, Chocarro de Luis E, Nalda FN, Fonseca-Pedrero E. Subjective well-being in adolescence: New psychometric evidences on the satisfaction with life scale. European Journal of Developmental Psychology [Internet]. 2019 Mar 4;16(2):236–44.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Fonseca-Pedrero E, Wells C, Paino M, Lemos-Giráldez S, Villazón-García Ú, Sierra S, et al. Measurement Invariance of the Reynolds Depression Adolescent Scale across Gender and Age. International Journal of Testing [Internet]. 2010 Apr; 10(2):133–48.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
O’Brien RM. A Caution Regarding Rules of Thumb for Variance Inflation Factors. Quality & Quantity. 2007 Sep 11;41(5):673–90.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hale T, Angrist N, Goldszmidt R, Kira B, Petherick A, Phillips T, et al. A global panel database of pandemic policies (Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker). Nature Human Behaviour [Internet]. 2021 Mar 8;5(4):529–38.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Guessoum SB, Lachal J, Radjack R, Carretier E, Minassian S, Benoit L, et al. Adolescent psychiatric disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Psychiatry Research. 2020 Sep 1;291:113264.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
de la Barrera U, Schoeps K, Gil-Gómez JA, Montoya-Castilla I. Predicting Adolescent Adjustment and Well-Being: The Interplay between Socio-Emotional and Personal Factors. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health [Internet]. 2019 Nov 22;16(23):4650.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
della Giusta M, Jewell SL, Kambhampati US. Gender and Life Satisfaction in the UK. feminist economics [Internet]. 2011 Jul;17(3):1–34.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article