TDNet Discover

Background: The negative mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents has been profound. Current research has not been conclusive on what clinical guidelines or current practices can be implemented to mitigate this mental health deficit. Purpose: This evidence based clinical review aimed to investigate what clinical guidelines and current practices have been studied and could be implemented to mitigate the negative mental health outcomes of adolescents due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Three peer-reviewed journal articles of the highest level of evidence and quality were found searching multiple databases to answer the research question. A search and review process of title, abstract, and full text was conducted to select the included studies. A quality assessment and data extraction were utilized to qualitatively analyze each included study. Results: An evidence based clinical review was completed. Two systematic reviews and 1 clinical trial including 21,905 participants met full inclusion criteria. Pooled data determined that physical activity and health education were mitigating factors of negative mental health outcomes from the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: Results were inconclusive in a definitive approach to applying clinical guidelines or practices in a systematic way to treat the negative mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents. The use of physical activity and health education materials were consistently found to be mitigating factors to negative mental health outcomes in adolescents across studies. Future research utilizing longitudinal studies across a broader range of nationalities is needed to truly understand the impact of these mitigating tools and how they can be implemented most effectively worldwide.