Stressors, mental health and coping amongst forcibly displaced youth since the advent of COVID-19: A systematic review

Mental health is a key issue for forcibly displaced youth. The evidence base on the mental health of youth forcibly displaced since the start of the pandemic is undefined, as well as sources of stressors and coping approaches. This systematic review aims to identify literature on the mental health of forcibly displaced youth in low- and middle-income settings, with focus on displacement since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives are to examine (1) sources of stress, (2) prevalence and covariates of common mental disorders (CMDs) and (3) coping approaches. Six databases were searched in February 2023. Search terms focused on CMDs, stress and forcibly displaced populations. Articles based on data collected after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic focused on forcibly displaced persons aged 10-29 were included. Quantitative observation and intervention studies reporting CMD prevalences and related concepts were included, as were qualitative studies about stressors and/or coping approaches. Prevalences of CMDs and covariates were tabulated. Inductive thematic coding was conducted on qualitative data on stressors and coping. Interpretation of coping data was guided by a taxonomy including problem solving, support seeking, distraction/avoidance and positive cognitive restructuring. Twenty-one articles were included. Economic issues were the most prominent source of stress and led to subsequent stressors. Depression and anxiety symptom prevalence ranged from 6.2% to 77.4% and 17.2%–32.8% respectively. Problem-solving and support seeking were the most common coping approaches. Supporting the mental health and coping approaches of this marginalised group is critical to recovery in the post-COVID era.