Mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in children and adolescents with ADHD: A systematic review of controlled longitudinal cohort studies

Amabel Dessain; Valeria Parlatini; Anjali Singh; Michelle De Bruin; Samuele Cortese; Edmund Sonuga-Barke; Julio Vaquerizo Serrano

doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105502

Mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in children and adolescents with ADHD: A systematic review of controlled longitudinal cohort studies

Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2024 Jan:156:105502. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105502. Epub 2023 Dec 7.

Authors

Amabel Dessain¹, Valeria Parlatini², Anjali Singh², Michelle De Bruin², Samuele Cortese³, Edmund Sonuga-Barke⁴, Julio Vaquerizo Serrano²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, UK; South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK. Electronic address: amabel.dessain@slam.ac.uk.
² Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, UK.
³ Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, School of Psychology, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; Clinical and Experimental Sciences (CNS and Psychiatry), Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; Solent NHS Trust, Southampton, UK; DiMePRe-J-Department of Precision and Rigenerative Medicine-Jonic Area, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, USA.
⁴ Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, UK; Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Aarhus University, Denmark; University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

PMID: 38065419
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105502

Abstract

Prior studies reported mixed effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of children and adolescents with ADHD, but they were mainly cross-sectional and without controls. To clarify the impact, we searched Web of Science, EMBASE, Medline, and PsychINFO until 18/11/2023 and conducted a systematic review of controlled longitudinal cohort studies (Prospero: CRD42022308166). The Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used to assess quality. We identified 6 studies. Worsening of mental health symptoms was more evident in ADHD or control group according to symptom considered and context. However, those with ADHD had more persistent elevated symptoms and remained an at-risk population. Sleep problems deteriorated more significantly in those with ADHD. Lower pre-COVID emotion regulation skills and greater rumination were associated with worse mental health outcomes, and longer screen time with poorer sleep. Quality was rated as low in most studies, mainly due to self-report outcome measures and no information on attrition rates. Despite these limitations, results suggest a predominantly negative impact on youths with ADHD and may guide clinical practice and policy.

Keywords: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; COVID-19 pandemic; Children and adolescents.

Publication types

Systematic Review
Review

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* / epidemiology
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* / psychology
COVID-19*
Child
Cohort Studies
Cross-Sectional Studies
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Mental Health
Pandemics