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The COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges for adolescents across the world. The current study aimed to investigate the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms and suicidal ideation in adolescents living in Melbourne, Australia, during the state of Victoria's second lockdown. The study also sought to identify pre-existing and current psychosocial stressors associated with adolescent's depressive and anxiety symptoms, and to identify the extent to which adolescents experiencing mental health difficulties sought professional help during the pandemic. A COVID-19 sub-study of the Mothers' and Young People's Study—an 18-year longitudinal cohort study—was conducted between July and September 2020, an online survey completed by 257 adolescents aged 14–17 years and their mothers, which asked about pandemic-related stressors, remote learning, family life, and mental health. Descriptive statistics and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were conducted. Mental health difficulties were common with 38% and 20% of adolescents reporting clinically significant depressive and anxiety symptoms, respectively, and 21% reporting frequent suicidal or self-harm ideation. Factors associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms included being female, exposure to current maternal depressive symptoms, lower levels of resilience, experiences of loneliness, stressful life events, and school- and family-related stressors. Two-thirds of adolescents who were experiencing clinically significant depressive or anxiety symptoms had not sought professional help. Our findings highlight the urgent mental health need among adolescents and the importance of reducing barriers to accessing support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Few studies have investigated health service use of mothers experiencing mental health problems or intimate partner violence (IPV). The aim of this study was to investigate health service utilisation of mothers experiencing mental health problems and intimate partner violence ten years after having a first baby. Methods: Prospective cohort of 1507 first-time mothers recruited in Melbourne, Australia. Follow-up at ten years incorporated: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, Composite Abuse Scale. Results: At ten years postpartum, one in four mothers (26.1%) reported depressive, anxiety or posttraumatic stress symptoms, and almost one in five (19.4%) reported recent IPV. Two-fifths of mothers reporting clinically significant mental health symptoms had experienced recent IPV (Odds Ratio = 5.6, 95% CI 3.9–8.1). Less than half of mothers experiencing mental health problems at ten-year follow-up had discussed their mental health with a general practitioner and around one in three had talked to a mental health professional. Two-thirds of mothers experiencing recent IPV had not disclosed this to a general practitioner or mental health professional. Conclusions: The findings highlight the extent to which many women deal with IPV and mental health problems without the support that primary health care and mental health care could provide and point to the need for more concerted efforts to strengthen health system responses to these frequently related issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Assess the mental health, physical health, cognitive and language development of 10-year old children in families where mothers have reported intimate partner violence (IPV) compared with children with no reported IPV exposure.Design: Prospective pregnancy cohort. Maternal report of IPV (Composite Abuse Scale) at 1, 4 and 10 years. Maternal and direct assessment of child mental health (probable psychiatric diagnosis, anxiety and emotional/behavioural difficulties), cognition (IQ and executive function), language (general, pragmatic and receptive) and physical health at 10 years.Setting: A subsample of 615 mother-child dyads drawn from a pregnancy cohort of 1507 nulliparous women recruited from six public hospitals in Melbourne, Australia.Results: Any IPV exposure from infancy to age 10 was associated with poorer child outcomes at age 10. Specifically, twice the odds of a probable psychiatric diagnosis, emotional/behavioural difficulties, impaired language skills (general and pragmatic), and having consulted a health professional about asthma or sleep problems. IPV exposure at age 10 associated with two to three times higher odds of all mental health outcomes, elevated blood pressure and sleep problems. Early life exposure alone (at 1 and/or 4 years) associated with three times higher odds of a general language problem and asthma at age 10.Conclusion: The high prevalence of IPV and increased risk of poorer health and development among children exposed highlights the burden of ill health carried by children in families experiencing IPV. Fewer difficulties where exposure was limited to the early years builds the case for better identification, understanding and resourcing of effective early intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately one in four children in Australia have mothers who experience intimate partner violence (IPV). These children are at risk of poor mental health. Less is known about their language outcomes, despite evidence that childhood adversity threatens neurodevelopment, and the home environment effects language development. This study aimed to examine the relationship between early childhood IPV exposure and language outcomes (receptive vocabulary, general language, pragmatic language) at age 10, including the influence of maternal depressive symptoms. Participants were 615 mothers and their first-born child participating in a prospective, community-based pregnancy cohort study in Melbourne. Mothers reported their experience of IPV and depressive symptoms in the first and fourth year postpartum. At 10 years postpartum, children's receptive vocabulary was directly assessed and mothers reported on their child's general and pragmatic language skills. Exposure to IPV was related to scores indicating poorer abilities in receptive vocabulary (d =-0.26, p =.009), general language (d = 0.23, p =.047) and pragmatic language skills (d = 0.41, p <.001) at age 10. After adjusting for maternal depressive symptoms, evidence remained for the relationship with pragmatic language (d =-0.32, p =.006), and a trend for receptive vocabulary (d =-0.20, p =.052). At a community-level, children whose mothers experienced IPV during the child's first four years had poorer language skills in middle childhood than children whose mothers did not experience IPV. This is important because poor child language skills are associated with adverse outcomes across the lifespan including academic under-achievement and mental health problems. Clinical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]