Mental Health and Well-being of Adolescents and Young Adults from Pre- to COVID-19: the impact of pandemic-related risk factors and the protective role of a cash transfer program

OBJECTIVE: Few longitudinal studies have evaluated the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on youth mental health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where financial vulnerability may heighten risk. This study examined changes in psychopathology and well-being among Brazilian youth during the pandemic and the potential protective role of an emergency cash transfer program. METHODS: Data came from 1,385 Brazilian High-Risk Cohort participants evaluated pre-COVID-19 and during the pandemic. Mental health problems and well-being were assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS), daily well-being was assessed using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) for a subsample. Changes over time were examined using linear mixed-effects models. RESULTS: Participants not exposed to COVID-19 infection (Estimate = -1.25, t = -4.637, p < 0.001) and those reporting no difficulty adhering to social distancing (Estimate = -1.33, t = -4.401, p < 0.001) showed reductions in mental health problems. Youth not receiving emergency cash transfers experienced decreased well-being (Estimate = -0.88, t = -2.766, p = 0.034), while beneficiaries reported more positive affect in EMA subsample (Estimate = -0.25, t = -2.991, p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Lower exposure to pandemic-related stressors was associated with better mental health. Emergency cash transfers may have mitigated declines in well-being, highlighting their relevance for supporting youth during crises.