A new study has shed light on the alarming rates of mental health issues and suicidal behaviour among Chilean adolescents during the Covid pandemic. A team at the University of Barcelona conducted the study with a focus on young people who were a part of Chile’s National Service for Minors (SENAME) and Better Childhood Protection Network. It found that the pandemic exacerbated mental health challenges, particularly for young females and sexual minorities. The findings were published in the journal Actas Españolas de Psiquiatría.
The study, which surveyed 125 young people between the ages of 14 and 18, produced upsetting results regarding the harm that lockdowns and social restrictions cause to mental health. Nearly 30% of participants reported experiencing suicidal ideation during the pandemic’s peak, with a similar percentage indicating they had devised a suicide plan. A concerning 18.2% of these youths had attempted suicide during this period.
These figures are significantly higher than international averages. The study attributes this disparity to the compounded effects of pandemic-related isolation, coupled with prior adverse experiences, such as violations of the children’s rights and exposure to family conflict, abuse, or violence.
Chilean authorities imposed one of the world’s strictest lockdowns between March and September 2020, which led to widespread disruptions in education, social interactions, and overall mobility. For many adolescents, the pandemic and its related restrictions acted as a catalyst for worsening mental health.
The study identified that the most vulnerable were females and members of the LGBT+ community, who demonstrated notably higher rates of suicidal behaviour compared to their heterosexual male peers. While Chilean suicide rates have historically been higher among young men, the pandemic seems to have altered this pattern, with young women being disproportionately affected.
The lockdowns restricted access to essential services, including mental health support, while also cutting off crucial peer interactions, which play a key role in the social development of teenagers. Many youths reported feelings of isolation and loneliness, with the female participants also reporting heightened anxiety and stress symptoms.
The pandemic had a particularly profound effect on young people who already faced significant mental health challenges prior to Covid-19. The study highlights that sexual minorities – those identifying as homosexual, bisexual, or pansexual – were disproportionately affected, reporting higher levels of depression and anxiety, alongside elevated rates of suicidal thoughts and attempts.
Of the young people surveyed, 53.5% of LGBT+ participants indicated they had experienced suicidal behaviour during the pandemic, in stark contrast to the 46.5% of their heterosexual counterparts. The results align with previous international research that identifies sexual minorities as a high-risk group for mental health issues, particularly during times of crisis.
The findings underscore the need for targeted mental health interventions aimed at adolescents, particularly those in high-risk categories such as sexual minorities and young females. The study advocates for an increase in mental health services for these groups, alongside continuous monitoring of their wellbeing as Chile continues to emerge from the pandemic.
The researchers are calling on authorities to focus on long-term solutions to support the mental health of vulnerable young people, including those under state protection. As the world moves on from the pandemic, the long-lasting effects on the mental health of these youths must not be overlooked.
The study also pointed to the strain on mental health services during the pandemic. Even though many young people under the SENAME protection system had access to some form of psychosocial or therapeutic support, the overwhelming demand and logistical challenges caused by the lockdown made it difficult to reach everyone in need. Mental health professionals in Chile have long warned of an overstretched system, and the pandemic only worsened the situation.
