LOS ANGELES – Social and educational disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated concerns about the mental health and suicidal behavior of adolescents in the United States, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. from USA
According to the study published Thursday in the agency’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, nearly three-quarters of high school students under the age of 18 reported at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE) during pandemic. Among them, 53.2%, 12%, and 7.8% reported one to two, three, and four or more ACEs, respectively.
Adverse childhood experiences are associated with poor mental health and suicidal behaviors, and a high prevalence of some ACEs has been documented during the pandemic. ACEs are preventable and potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood, such as neglect, experience or presence of violence, or a family member attempting or dying by suicide. Also included are aspects of a child’s environment that can undermine their sense of security, stability and connectedness, the study explained.
The study found that ACEs were common among US teens during the pandemic and often had serious consequences for mental health and suicidal behaviors, even among some teens who reported one or two ACEs.
The study noted that the prevalence of current poor mental health and suicide attempts in the past year among adolescents who reported four or more ACEs during the pandemic was four and 25 times higher than those without ACEs, respectively.
The study was based on responses from more than 4,300 students nationwide to the 2021 Adolescent Experiences and Behaviors Survey, which used three-stage stratified cluster sampling to obtain nationally representative data on public high school students. and private US between January and June 2021. .
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