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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health and Psychological Well-Being of Young People Living in Austria and Turkey: A Multicenter Study

Author

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  • Türkan Akkaya-Kalayci

    (Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Outpatient Clinic of Transcultural Psychiatry and Migration Induced Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
    Postgraduate University Program Transcultural Medicine and Diversity Care, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, 1090 Vienna, Austria)

  • Oswald D. Kothgassner

    (Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria)

  • Thomas Wenzel

    (Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
    Scientific Section on Psychological Aspects of Torture and Persecution, World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 1226 Thônex, Switzerland)

  • Andreas Goreis

    (Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, 1010 Vienna, Austria
    Outpatient Unit for Research, Teaching and Practice, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, 1010 Vienna, Austria)

  • Anthony Chen

    (Scientific Section on Psychological Aspects of Torture and Persecution, World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 1226 Thônex, Switzerland)

  • Veysi Ceri

    (Department of Child Development, Faculty of Health Sciences, Batman University, Batman Üniversitesi, Merkez Kampüsü, 72060 Batman, Turkey)

  • Zeliha Özlü-Erkilic

    (Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Outpatient Clinic of Transcultural Psychiatry and Migration Induced Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
    Postgraduate University Program Transcultural Medicine and Diversity Care, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, 1090 Vienna, Austria)

Abstract

Little is known about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and psychological well-being of young people. The aim of this study is to investigate the psychological well-being and changes in the mental-health state of young people living in Austria and Turkey. By using an anonymous online survey, we recruited 1240 people aged 15–25 years from these two countries. We used the “Psychological General Well-being” and a self-created questionnaire to capture individual experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine period. The native Turks indicated higher “anxiety” ( p s < 0.010), lower “vitality” ( p s < 0.011), and lower “general health” ( p s < 0.011) than native Austrians or Austrian migrants and increased “depression” ( p = 0.005) and lower “self-control” ( p = 0.022), than Austrian migrants. Moreover, 50.9% of native Turks reported a decrease in their mental health status, compared to 31.1% of native Austrians and 23.7% of Austrian migrants. Participants with financial problems (OR = 1.68) and prior mental health problems (i.e., already in treatment by the time of COVID-19, OR = 5.83) reported a higher probability for a worsening in their mental health status. Our results show that the COVID-19 pandemic impaired the psychological well-being and mental health of young people. Especially people in Turkey were most affected, probably due to the stringent policies to fight COVID-19.

Suggested Citation

  • Türkan Akkaya-Kalayci & Oswald D. Kothgassner & Thomas Wenzel & Andreas Goreis & Anthony Chen & Veysi Ceri & Zeliha Özlü-Erkilic, 2020. "The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health and Psychological Well-Being of Young People Living in Austria and Turkey: A Multicenter Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:23:p:9111-:d:457667
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Zeliha Özlü-Erkilic & Oswald D. Kothgassner & Thomas Wenzel & Andreas Goreis & Anthony Chen & Veysi Ceri & Aylin Fakhr Mousawi & Türkan Akkaya-Kalayci, 2021. "Does the Progression of the COVID-19 Pandemic Have an Influence on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Young People? A Cross-Sectional Multicenter Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-14, December.
    2. Daniela León Rojas & Fabiola Castorena Torres & Salomon Alvarado Ramos & Alfredo del Castillo Morales & Julieta Rodríguez-de-Ita, 2023. "Sleep Disturbances and Mental Well-Being of Preschool Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mexico," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-12, March.
    3. Alberto Forte & Massimiliano Orri & Martina Brandizzi & Cecilia Iannaco & Paola Venturini & Daniela Liberato & Claudia Battaglia & Isabel Nöthen-Garunja & Maria Vulcan & Asja Brusìc & Lauro Quadrana &, 2021. "“My Life during the Lockdown”: Emotional Experiences of European Adolescents during the COVID-19 Crisis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-12, July.

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