The impact of COVID-19 on the psychological distress of youths in Japan: A latent growth curve analysis

Background: This study expands on previous studies that have investigated the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on mental health in two ways. We first model the change in mental health, then examine the various factors that predict changes in psychological distress. Method: Longitudinal surveys were conducted once each in 2015, 2017, and 2019 on mothers and their children born between April 2000 and March 2001 (n = 1854), and three times in 2020 (February, July, and December) on the children in Japan. A latent growth curve model with four time points from December 2019 to December 2020 was used to depict the changes in the psychological distress of youths and to examine the factor associated with the level and change in psychological distress. Results: The psychological distress of youths increased from December 2019 to July 2020, especially among female youths, then decreased in December 2020. Initial health status and psychological traits were related to the initial level of psychological distress, but not the change. Gender was not related to the initial level of psychological distress but an increase in distress. Conclusion: Although the effect size was small, gender was related to changes in distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other factors, such as health-related characteristics and personality traits, were associated with the level of distress before the pandemic but could not explain the changes in distress during the pandemic.