Date of Award
5-2023
Document Type
Honors Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Anthropology
Advisor/Committee Chair
John Polk
Abstract
Towards the end of 2019, the SARS-CoV-2 virus outbreak from Wuhan, China has thrown the world into a global pandemic. Given the novelty of the virus and updated medical standards, the effects of COVID-19 on the mental health of children were and currently are not fully known. This study aims to map out an approximate timeline of children's mental health based on other forms of traumas such as war and natural disasters. This is a review of mixed-method design of numerous studies from the three variables. Data was collected through self-reported measures of mental health symptoms including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and qualitative interviews. Analysis indicates that all three events were associated with increased harmful mental health symptoms. Nonetheless, the severity and duration of each symptom varied between groups based on the intensity and period of exposure. Individuals who experienced war reported the greatest severity in chronic symptoms, followed by individuals with COVID-19, and finally individuals who survived a natural disaster. Findings suggest that mental health support and intervention strategies should be tailored to the specific needs of individuals who have experienced several types of traumatic events.
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Recommended Citation
Van Nostrand, Ethan, "A Comparative Study of the Mental Health Effects of War, COVID-19, & Surviving a Natural Disaster in Children" (2023). Anthropology. 35.
https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/honorscollege_anthro/35