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August 19, 2026Annals of General PsychiatryOpen Access

The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on psychotropic medication prescriptions for children and adolescents: a scoping review of quantitative longitudinal studies

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Authors

IAIda AktnerStockholm UniversityHFHilma ForsmanStockholm UniversityVSViviane S. StraatmannBrazilian Institute of Neuropsychology and Behaviour

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Implication

Scoping review finds increased antidepressant and antipsychotic prescriptions in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting escalating youth mental health needs.

Key Points

  • To review quantitative longitudinal studies examining how psychotropic drug prescriptions for children and adolescents changed during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-pandemic baselines.
  • Searched five databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO) for English-language quantitative longitudinal studies focusing on youth aged 0–19 years.
  • Synthesized data from 14 studies using national health registries or clinical datasets across 11 OECD countries (Austria, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Israel, Italy, United States, Portugal, Sweden, Norway, New Zealand) covering 2013–2022.
  • Ten studies identified increases in antidepressant and antipsychotic prescriptions during the pandemic (with two observing initial drops before subsequent increases), while four reported overall reductions.
  • The largest increases in antidepressant prescribing occurred among adolescent girls, with adolescents generally demonstrating higher medication rates than younger children.
  • Stimulant prescribing trajectories varied widely across countries, while socioeconomic factors, school closures, and healthcare access influenced overall prescription patterns.

Cite This Study

Aktner et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a85637603308d306e2d6a90https://doi.org/10.1186/s12991-026-00692-z
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Also Consider

Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

  1. 1Changes in psychiatric diagnoses and psychotropic medication use among children and adolescents before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic: a population-based cross-sectional study2026
  2. 2Psychotropic Medication Prescribing for Children and Adolescents After the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic2024 · 35 citations
  3. 3Changes in psychotropic medication prescription patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic among Japanese children, adolescents and young adults: interrupted time-series study using a national claims database2025
  4. 4Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on prescription of psychotropic medications in the Italian paediatric population during 20202024 · 1 citations
  5. 5Change of antidepressant utilization in children, adolescents and young adults in Europe before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review2025