Psychosomatic health complaints among children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic – Results of the longitudinal German COPSY study

Abstract

Abstract Background The period throughout the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presented major challenges for children’s and adolescents’ wellbeing and psychosocial adjustment and had a great impact on their mental health. Psychosomatic health complaints are highly common in childhood and adolescence and present an important indicator of mental health and wellbeing. Methods The nationwide, longitudinal COPSY-study (COvid-19 and PSYchological Health) has monitored changes in mental health among children and adolescents in Germany since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in five survey waves (2020–2022). In total, n = 1673 children and adolescents aged 11 years and older and their parents participated in at least one survey wave. Self-reported psychosomatic health complaints were assessed in each survey wave, using a modified version of an internationally validated eight-item symptom checklist (HBSC-SCL). A mixed model panel regression analysis was conducted to examine longitudinal changes in psychosomatic health complaints and to identify psychosocial and pandemic-related risk factors as well as resources. Risk estimations were used to explore the effect of a reported previous infection with COVID-19 on psychosomatic health complaints. Results Psychosomatic health complaints among children and adolescents increased over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Girls and children of mentally ill or highly burdened parents were at particular risk. A higher subjective perceived burden of the pandemic as well as COVID-19 related worries were significantly associated with a higher level of psychosomatic health complaints. Overall, Long-COVID was diagnosed by a clinical expert in 2.9% of children with previously reported COVID-19. An infection with COVID-19 was no significant risk factor for psychosomatic health complaints in general but increased the risk of sleeping difficulties and loss of concentration in autumn 2022. Personal resources, a positive family climate, and more perceived social support were significantly associated with less psychosomatic health complaints. Conclusions Three years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, children and adolescents are suffering from multiple psychosomatic health complaints. Medium and long-term consequences of the pandemic and associated measures are therefore suspected. Targeted health promotion and intervention strategies are needed to protect and maintain children’s and adolescents’ health.