Changes in child mental health during the covid-19 pandemic: meta-analytic findings

Recent research has suggested that the levels of child depression symptoms have increased globally throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is considerable variability in the reported changes in prevalence rates from prepandemic to during the pandemic throughout the literature. We will present a systematic review and meta-analysis with 2 central aims. First, we will pool studies to provide estimates of the magnitude of change in child depression symptoms in longitudinal studies with participant data prepandemic to during the pandemic. Second, we will examine whether various factors predict more or less change in child mental health, including age, sex, race/ethnicity, and geographic location.