Most Ontario youth experienced depression during pandemic, early data suggests
Preliminary research suggests the COVID-19 crisis is having a sustained and significant impact on youth mental health in Ontario.
Researchers at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children released initial findings Thursday indicating that the majority of children and teenagers saw their mental health decline during the pandemic's second wave.
The early data, which has not been peer reviewed, shows that more than half of 758 kids aged eight to 12 reported significant symptoms of depression from February to March.
This psychological toll was even more pronounced among teenagers, with 70 per cent of 520 adolescents aged 13 to 18 reporting significant depressive symptoms.
The findings draw from the responses of roughly 1,500 parents and children in Ontario as part of a series of periodic surveys tracking youth mental health during the pandemic.
Dr. Daphne Korczak, principal investigator of the ongoing SickKids-led study, says the research shows that Ontario's stringent lockdown measures, including extended school closures in some regions, have posed serious harms to young people that could have lasting consequences.
"We didn't see evidence that kids started to improve, adapt or demonstrate resilience over the course of a year," said Korczak, an associate scientist in SickKids' neurosciences and mental health program.
"We have to have meaningful conversations as our society reopens about how we can prioritize children and their mental health."
According to data collected from 1,494 participants, the more time school-aged children spent online learning, the more likely they were to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Korczak said some respondents felt even when in-person classes were in session, "it didn't feel like school" because of restrictions on socialization and the cancellation of extracurricular activities.
"Kids value school beyond just the brick-and-mortar buildings," she said. "We need to try and run school as normally as possible if we want to improve children's mental health."
SickKids has consistently advocated for students to be in the classroom throughout the pandemic, with smaller class sizes and localized closures during outbreaks of COVID-19.
Widespread vaccination is a key aspect of Ontario's plan to resume in-class learning in the fall -- though full details of the plan haven't been shared.
The province has promised all students and education workers would be offered two shots before September.
But it's not as simple as getting kids back inside the classroom, said Korczak. To ensure children's welfare, authorities must also provide supports for parents, she said.
The preliminary findings showed families who were dealing with hardship before the pandemic were disproportionately impacted its economic fallout, resulting in higher levels of mental health symptoms for children and caregivers alike.
Lydia Muyingo, a PhD student in clinical psychology at Dalhousie University, said SickKids' preliminary findings are consistent with the increased demand for services she's observed in her own clinical work.
Canada's youth mental health crisis predates the pandemic, said Muyingo, so the solution can't be as simple as a "return to normal."
"There's this narrative that children are resilient and that they can get through anything. And yes, kids are resilient, but they're also human," said Muyingo.
"I think these effects of COVID will last longer than when our masks are off ... because if you experience mental health challenges as a child, you are at greater risk of experiencing those problems in adulthood."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.