"Abstract
... Our aim was to conduct a scoping review and produce an online Interactive Evidence Map (IEM) highlighting available literature around unintended effects of the pandemic on children’s and adolescents’ mental, psychosocial, and physical health.
Methods
Between May 2021 and April 2022, we identified peer-reviewed literature reporting the unintended effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s and adolescents’ mental, psychosocial, and physical health...
Results
Mental health: Most (88%, n = 685) primary studies reported on at least one mental health outcome, including anxiety (40%, n = 309), followed by depression (38%, n = 294), and stress/distress (23%, n = 182). Across all outcomes and articles the most frequently reported COVID-19 pandemic topic was regarding lockdowns on children’s and adolescents’ mental health (66%, n = 547)...
Psychosocial: Forty-three percent (n = 353) of articles...reported at least one psychosocial outcome (e.g., relationships, social isolation, and bullying). Psychosocial outcomes most frequently reported (n = 149, 18%) related to relationships that children and adolescents had with their peers and family members and feelings of social isolation/loneliness (n = 122, 15%)...
Negative experiences: We also identified articles reporting negative experiences related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including bullying (n = 29, 3%) and stigma (n = 3, <1%)...
Physical consequences: Few articles (11%, n = 87) reported on physical consequences of the pandemic...Most articles reporting on physical health outcomes (84%, n = 73) examined abuse/violent discipline that children and adolescents faced, particularly in response to increased stress resulting from lockdown measures..."
