Summary: A recent study from the Kennedy Krieger Institute finds that nearly 40% of children evaluated for long COVID report meaningful symptoms of anxiety or depression, and many of these cases are new. Using validated mental health screening tools, researchers observed that roughly one in four children developed new anxiety symptoms and about one in seven developed new depressive symptoms despite having no prior mental health diagnosis. The study highlights a pressing need to integrate mental health screening and timely intervention into pediatric long COVID care.
Researchers assessed 139 patients seen at the Pediatric Post-COVID-19 Rehabilitation Clinic. Standardized mental health questionnaires were used alongside assessments of quality of life, including physical, emotional, social, and school functioning. Results indicate that the mental health burden among these children is substantial and that their overall functioning can be as impaired as that of young people living with serious chronic illnesses.
Key facts
- New onset: Nearly 40% of children with long COVID reported symptoms of anxiety or depression; approximately half of those affected had no prior mental health history.
- Scope of impact: On average, reported quality of life was similar to that seen in peers with cancer or cystic fibrosis, underscoring significant functional impairment.
- Predictor of poor outcomes: A pronounced “sense of ineffectiveness” — feeling unable to succeed or take part in activities — emerged as the strongest predictor of lower quality of life.
Dr. Laura Malone, director of the Pediatric Post-COVID-19 Rehabilitation Clinic and a co-investigator on the study, emphasizes the clinical implications: “Long COVID is a complex condition. We are seeing children and adolescents who were functioning well before infection now struggle to attend school, socialize, or enjoy everyday activities. That decline in confidence and participation can be as damaging as physical symptoms.”
The study found that more than one in three children reported elevated symptoms commonly associated with anxiety and depression — such as persistent worry, sleep disturbances, and mood irritability. Importantly, among those reporting significant symptoms, about half had no prior mental health diagnosis, indicating that long COVID may be associated with new-onset psychiatric symptoms in pediatric patients.
This investigation is notable because it relied on validated, standardized screening instruments tailored to youth mental health and quality of life measurement. The approach allowed clinicians to quantify not only symptom presence but also the broader functional impact across domains that matter for a child’s daily life and development: physical health, emotional well-being, social relationships, and school performance.
The research team also cautions clinicians that symptoms typical of long COVID — for example, fatigue, dizziness, and cognitive complaints — can overlap with manifestations of anxiety and depression. That overlap may obscure mental health needs unless providers use deliberate, validated screening tools and integrate mental health questions into routine follow-up.
Based on their findings, the authors recommend that healthcare systems caring for children with long COVID incorporate regular mental health screening and accessible referral pathways to behavioral health services. Early detection and timely, evidence-based intervention could reduce symptom burden, restore confidence and function, and improve overall quality of life for affected children.
While further research is needed to map long-term trajectories and to test specific interventions, this study adds robust, clinically relevant evidence that mental health consequences are a core element of pediatric long COVID. Clinicians, families, and schools should be aware that new anxiety or depression symptoms may emerge after COVID infection and that these symptoms can substantially interfere with everyday functioning.
About this long COVID and mental health research news
Author: Taylor Gleason
Source: Kennedy Krieger Institute
Contact: Taylor Gleason – Kennedy Krieger Institute
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: The findings will appear in Journal of Psychology