AUSTIN, Texas — A new study by University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) researchers is shedding light on how the original March 2020 lockdown left major impacts on teens.
The study, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, found teens suffered an increased amount of depression, anxiety and stress. One cause of stress that created lasting mental health impacts for some teens was parents losing their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"A lot of these kids are going to have generational deficits of mental health. It really tells us we need to pour resources and money into building up our mental health workforce," said Jeff Temple, vice dean of research at UTMB.
However, researchers involved in the study also believe youth in Texas may have fared better than kids in other parts of the country because in-person instruction came back sooner, bringing social interaction, structure and consistency along with it.
Read the full study to learn more.
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