COVID-19-Related Posttraumatic Stress in U.S. and Canadian Youth in the First Year of the Pandemic.
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| Title: | COVID-19-Related Posttraumatic Stress in U.S. and Canadian Youth in the First Year of the Pandemic. |
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| Authors: | Comer, Jonathan S. (AUTHOR), Salem, Hanan (AUTHOR), Urcuyo, Anya E. (AUTHOR), Sáez-Clarke, Estefany (AUTHOR), Karlovich, Ashley R. (AUTHOR), Coxe, Stefany (AUTHOR), Ehrenreich-May, Jill (AUTHOR), Evans, Angela D. (AUTHOR), Galvan, Adriana (AUTHOR), Malloy, Lindsay C. (AUTHOR), Pincus, Donna B. (AUTHOR), Dick, Anthony S. (AUTHOR), Furr, Jami M. (AUTHOR), Green, Jennifer Greif (AUTHOR), Gurwitch, Robin H. (AUTHOR), Peris, Tara S. (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology. May/Jun2026, Vol. 55 Issue 3, p445-456. 12p. |
| Subjects: | Post-traumatic stress, Financial stress, COVID-19, Adolescent psychology, Internalizing behavior, Pandemics, Food security, Youth health |
| Geographic Terms: | United States |
| Abstract: | Objective: Disasters and public health emergencies raise child/adolescent risk for posttraumatic stress (PTS). This study examined prospective predictors of COVID-related PTS in a large sample of U.S. and Canadian youth. Demographics, pre-pandemic contextual factors, baseline clinical factors, and pandemic experiences were examined. We hypothesized pandemic proximity/exposure and pandemic-related financial hardship in the first seven months, as well as baseline resource insecurity, internalizing symptoms, and female gender, would predict subsequent COVID-related PTS. Method: A prospective two-wave study of English- or Spanish-speaking youth ages 5–17 years (N = 1,413; 46.2% female; 33.4% racial/ethnic minority youth), and their caregivers, was conducted. The sample was recruited via crowdsourcing methods (e.g. existing community samples, advertisements, online recruitment). Data were collected via online caregiver-report surveys. Recruitment began 3/20/2020 (<10 days after pandemic declaration); follow-up assessments were collected M = 6.56 months later (7 months into pandemic). Results: Maximum likelihood estimation linear regression indicated baseline internalizing problems, pre-pandemic food insecurity, and COVID-19-related financial hardship predicted youth PTS at follow-up, whereas COVID-19 proximity/exposure and youth gender, age, and race/ethnicity did not. Youth with baseline internalizing problems had eight times the odds of developing probable PTSD than youth without baseline internalizing problems. The effect of COVID-19-related financial hardship on PTS was particularly high among youth who went into the pandemic with food insecurity. Conclusion: The financial toll the pandemic took on a child's family and whether there were pre-pandemic mental health or resource-related vulnerabilities may have been more determinant of individual youth PTS than the child's degree of direct COVID-19 proximity or family exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Objective: Disasters and public health emergencies raise child/adolescent risk for posttraumatic stress (PTS). This study examined prospective predictors of COVID-related PTS in a large sample of U.S. and Canadian youth. Demographics, pre-pandemic contextual factors, baseline clinical factors, and pandemic experiences were examined. We hypothesized pandemic proximity/exposure and pandemic-related financial hardship in the first seven months, as well as baseline resource insecurity, internalizing symptoms, and female gender, would predict subsequent COVID-related PTS. Method: A prospective two-wave study of English- or Spanish-speaking youth ages 5–17 years (N = 1,413; 46.2% female; 33.4% racial/ethnic minority youth), and their caregivers, was conducted. The sample was recruited via crowdsourcing methods (e.g. existing community samples, advertisements, online recruitment). Data were collected via online caregiver-report surveys. Recruitment began 3/20/2020 (<10 days after pandemic declaration); follow-up assessments were collected M = 6.56 months later (7 months into pandemic). Results: Maximum likelihood estimation linear regression indicated baseline internalizing problems, pre-pandemic food insecurity, and COVID-19-related financial hardship predicted youth PTS at follow-up, whereas COVID-19 proximity/exposure and youth gender, age, and race/ethnicity did not. Youth with baseline internalizing problems had eight times the odds of developing probable PTSD than youth without baseline internalizing problems. The effect of COVID-19-related financial hardship on PTS was particularly high among youth who went into the pandemic with food insecurity. Conclusion: The financial toll the pandemic took on a child's family and whether there were pre-pandemic mental health or resource-related vulnerabilities may have been more determinant of individual youth PTS than the child's degree of direct COVID-19 proximity or family exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 15374416 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/15374416.2025.2521843 |
