Genetic vulnerability appears to have amplified the pandemic’s toll on teen mental health
A new study finds that adolescent mental health declined significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Youth with genetic predispositions for psychiatric conditions experienced an even greater burden of symptoms, with adolescent girls facing the most persistent challenges.
A new study sheds light on the impact of genetic vulnerability on the surge in teenage mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adolescents with a higher inherited risk for psychiatric conditions experienced more severe overall symptom burdens, according to the research published in Translational Psychiatry. The pandemic's disruptions, such as school closures and social isolation, exacerbated mental health difficulties, particularly for female adolescents.
By analyzing data from 10,374 U.S. teens, researchers from the Center for Population Neuroscience and Genetics found that each unit increase in genetic risk for neurodevelopmental or internalizing disorders corresponded to a 3% to 21% rise in symptoms across various mental health categories. While both genders showed increased distress, girls faced a more pronounced rise in affective problems, while boys exhibited a smaller initial spike that plateaued later.
The study highlights the need to identify vulnerable youth to mitigate the long-term psychological fallout of the pandemic.
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