Santé mentale des jeunes durant la crise Covid-19 : une revue systématique de l’enfance au début de l’âge adulte

Abstract

To better understand the effects of a crisis on youth mental health, a systematic review was conducted on the impact of Covid-19 on the mental health of young people aged 0 to 25. We carried out a systematic search for scientific articles in five online databases. Only peer-reviewed articles investigating the effects of Covid-19 on youth mental health and published prior to November 2021 were included. Articles have been coded by several researchers to ensure reliability. After sorting, the search identified 212 references included in this review. Results are presented by age (infancy, childhood, adolescence, early adulthood) and by Covid-related themes (mental health before/during crisis, social restrictions, Covid-19 information, environmental conditions, Covid-19 infection, daily activities, school/work). Results highlight a deterioration in mental health at the third onset of the Covid-19 crisis, regardless of age. However, the symptomatic expression of the difficulties experienced differed according to age. Among the factors aggravating mental health difficulties, history of mental health problems and familial consequences of Covid-19 are discussed. In addition, protective factors are also highlighted, such as social support and maintaining routines.