A new study suggests adolescents exposed to intense, extreme temperatures may face an increased risk of behavioral problems and attention issues.
It’s not just fear over climate change that’s taking a toll on teenage mental health. A new study suggests an increase in heat waves and cold snaps may also pose a threat.
Researchers identified an association between intense extreme temperatures and behavioral issues among adolescents.
They analyzed psychiatric data collected from nearly 5,000 kids in the Netherlands and Spain and compared the results to air temperatures they were exposed to during the weeks and months prior to testing.
In the Netherlands, cold exposure was linked to more internalizing behavioral problems, which can lead to anxiety, depression and social withdrawal.
In Spain, heat exposure was associated with more attention problems.
The study found no links between temperature and externalizing problems such as aggression.
The authors warn, “As climate change intensifies, the associations may become more pronounced in the near future.”
They say additional research is needed in adolescents from other countries with varying temperatures.
Source: JAMA Network Open
Author Affiliations: Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Erasmus University, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, Biogipuzkoa Health Research Institute, University of the Basque Country, Universitat de València, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
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