Pandemic Generation

The pandemic has upended life for many young people, exacerbating mental health issues for those already struggling and bringing up new emotions for others. This series explores how kids are faring now and what challenges lie ahead.

In Their Own Words: Kids Reflect On COVID-19 In Letters, Poetry And Artwork

The frustrations and fears of adults were shared widely in columns and commentaries across many news sites, including our own. It was time to hear more from the kids.

Local Coverage

Jun 28, 2021

COVID Was Hard On Youths, But It May Have Spurred 'Post-Traumatic Growth'

Sometimes the experience of grief or trauma can be a catalyst for positive transformation – a process psychologists call post-traumatic growth. For young people, some psychologists believe COVID-19 could lead...

Local Coverage

06:30Jun 25, 2021

How COVID Isolation, Loss And Racism Deepened Crises For Children Of Color

Children of color who live in the cities most affected by the pandemic have been hit by a triple tsunami: Their communities have had higher rates of COVID infections and...

Local Coverage

08:36Jun 25, 2021

'We Can Talk About This': Kids Benefit When Parents Open Up About Mental Health Struggles

Experts say parents who are experiencing mental health problems should try to be forthcoming with kids, as it will make it more likely their kids will reach out to process...

Local Coverage

06:33Jun 24, 2021

Family members mourn the death of Conrad Coleman Jr. following his funeral service on July 03, 2020 in New Rochelle, New York. Coleman, 39, died of COVID-19 on June 20, 2020, just over two months after his father Conrad Coleman Sr. also died of the disease. (John Moore/Getty Images)

You Can't Outrun Pandemic Grief

Now that things have improved, it’s tempting to push forward and forget about the past, writes Megan Devine. Grief has receded, but it hasn’t left our lives.

Cognoscenti

04:12Jun 24, 2021

Outpatient care went virtual in the pandemic, but teletherapy was tough for some kids. (Getty Images)

Zoom Therapy And Not Enough Beds: How The Pandemic Affected Kids' Access To Mental Health Care

Outpatient care went virtual in the pandemic, but teletherapy was tough for some kids. And the already high demand for inpatient psychiatric care for kids only increased.

Local Coverage

08:22Jun 23, 2021

Researcher Katie McLaughlin. (Courtesy Katie McLaughlin)

Most Kids Bounce Back After Disasters. Researchers Want To Know If COVID Will Be Different

Harvard psychology professor Katie McLaughlin has been following more than 200 families to measure the short and long term mental health impacts of the pandemic.

Local Coverage

06:30Jun 23, 2021

Clinicians are seeing spikes in anxiety and depression among children, and in some cases, suicidal thoughts and attempts. (Getty Images)

How To Build Resilience In Kids As They Emerge From Trauma

Undeniably, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant effect on children’s mental health. Clinicians are seeing spikes in anxiety, depression, and in some cases, suicidal thoughts and attempts. To collect...

Local Coverage

06:03Jun 22, 2021

Wait Lists For Children's Mental Health Services Ballooned During COVID

As the pandemic exacerbated lengthy waits for mental health care, a few clinics in Massachusetts could serve as models of a way out of what some families have described as...

Local Coverage

06:40Jun 22, 2021

People wear face masks on the red steps in Times Square as the city continues the re-opening efforts following restrictions imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus on October 28, 2020, in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)

I’m 14. This Pandemic Year Felt Like ‘A Life Preserved In Amber’

What was it like to be a teen in the pandemic school year? It’s a half-life, writes Josephine Almond, trying to replicate human connection through wires and pixels without the...

Cognoscenti

Jun 22, 2021

Pandemic School Year Anxieties: In Chelsea, Counselors Navigate Rise In Mental Health Needs

As classes resumed in-person, counselors and social work staff inside the public schools in Chelsea -- a community hit particularly hard by the pandemic -- navigated upticks in student anxieties,...

Local Coverage

06:18Jun 21, 2021

The Pandemic Left More Kids Feeling Suicidal. One Mass. Teen Found Her Way Out Of The Dark

Marie is one of many teens who've experienced suicidal thoughts and attempts during the pandemic. Health care providers in Massachusetts and nationwide have documented a notable increase in suicidal ideation...

Local Coverage

07:32Jun 21, 2021