TY - JOUR PY - 2022// TI - Changes in Canadian adolescent well-being since the COVID-19 pandemic: the role of prior child maltreatment JO - International journal of environmental research and public health A1 - Dion, Jacinthe A1 - Hamel, Catherine A1 - Clermont, Camille A1 - Blackburn, Marie-Ève A1 - Hébert, Martine A1 - Paquette, Linda A1 - Lalande, Daniel A1 - Bergeron, Sophie SP - e10172 EP - e10172 VL - 19 IS - 16 N2 - Adolescents may be particularly vulnerable to the negative impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, given their increased socialization needs during this developmental period. This prospective study examined the potential changes in adolescents' well-being from before to during the pandemic, and the moderating role of a history of child maltreatment (CM), COVID-19-related distress, and gender among 1,802 adolescents (55.5% participants identified as boy, 42.2% as girl, and 1.5% as nonbinary; M(age) 14.74 years). Another aim was to determine whether COVID-19-related distress mediated the relationship between CM and well-being.

RESULTS revealed that COVID-19-related distress was associated with lower well-being (i.e., higher levels of internalized and externalized behaviors, and lower levels of self-esteem and life satisfaction). Boys experienced a greater decrease in life satisfaction and self-esteem than girls. A history of CM had a moderation effect, with the pandemic having a lesser impact on the outcomes of adolescents with such a history. However, it was also associated with more COVID-19-related distress, which in turn was associated with lower levels of internalized and externalized behaviors, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. These unexpected results with regard to CM might indicate that the social restrictions during the pandemic could have had a relieving effect on adolescents with particular challenges associated with CM.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1661-7827 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191610172 ID - ref1 ER -