Abstract
PURPOSE: This study examined the association between COVID-19-related experiences and the psychological wellbeing of school-going adolescent girls in Uganda. METHODS: We utilized cross-sectional data collected from 1165 adolescent girls (14-17 years), participating in a longitudinal randomized clinical trial (2017-2022). Due to social distancing and mitigation measures, data were collected using telephone interviewer-administered surveys. We fitted hierarchical regression models to assess the association between COVID-19-related experiences (such as resource changes and disruptions, and access to medical care), and two aspects of psychological wellbeing (emotional and cognitive wellbeing). RESULTS: Resource changes and disruptions due to the pandemic were negatively associated with adolescents' emotional (β = - 0.68, 95% CI = - 0.83, - 0.53, p < 0.001) and cognitive aspects of psychological wellbeing (β = - 0.38, 95% CI = - 0.47, - 0.29, p < 0.001). On the other hand, adhering to COVID-19 rules was positively associated with cognitive wellbeing (β = 2.18, 95% CI = 0.93, 3.44, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The pandemic significantly impacted adolescents' psychological wellbeing. Our study findings contribute to the limited literature focused on the impact of COVID-19 on the psychological wellbeing of adolescent girls. Findings support efforts to address the psychological needs of adolescent girls, specifically, interventions to alleviate the negative effects of the pandemic.