COPSY study

The longitudinal COPSY study examines the impact and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and other global crises on the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents in Germany. The study is led by Prof. Dr. Ravens-Sieberer and Dr. Kaman and conducted by the research unit Child Public Health at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. A further objective of the COPSY study is to identify factors that promote the mental health of children and adolescents in times of crises. It is intended to derive recommendations and strategies for prevention and intervention approaches in order to promote the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents in the long term.

Study Procedure

The COPSY study was based on the design and methodology of the representative longitudinal BELLA study. The BELLA study is the mental health module of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS), which has been conducted in cooperation with the Robert Koch Institute since 2003. The extensive data sets of the BELLA study are used as population-based reference data before the COVID-19 pandemic for comparison with the COPSY sample.

In the first nationwide population-based COPSY study, a comprehensive online survey on the mental health of children and adolescents and their families in Germany was conducted from May to June 2020. This representative sample comprises more than 1,000 11- to 17-year-old children and adolescents as well as 1,500 parents of 7- to 17-year-olds. The survey is conducted in collaboration with infratest dimap. The online questionnaire includes questions about how children are dealing with the crisis situation, questions about school, friends and family, mental health problems such as anxiety and depression and multiple health complaints. The family environment, media consumption and eating habits are also examined. Six follow-up surveys of the COPSY study have taken place so far (T2: 12/2020-01/2021, T3: 09-10/2021, T4: 02/2022, T5: 09-10/2022, T6: 10-11/2023, T7: 10/2024). The eighth survey of the COPSY study is planned for autumn 2025

Alongside the nationwide survey, the COPSY Hamburg study in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor, Health, Social Affairs, Family and Integration also specifically surveyed Hamburg children and young people and their parents in early summer 2020. The population-based sample comprises a total of around 1,500 11 to 17-year-old children and young people and their parents. A follow-up survey to the COPSY Hamburg study was conducted from May to July 2022.

The results of the COPSY study were published in national and international scientific journals. The COPSY study and its results were also reported on in the media (please see COPSY IN THE PRESS AND MEDIA below).


Contact persons: Prof. Dr. Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer ( ravens-sieberer@uke.de ) and Dr. Anne Kaman ( a.kaman@uke.de )

Link to the Instagram page of the COPSY study.


The COPSY study (2021-2022) was financially supported by the Kroschke Children's Foundation and the Fritz and Hildegard Berg Foundation. In addition, the COPSY Study 2022 was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF, Network University Medicine 2.0, funding reference 01KX2121, coverCHILD), 2024 by the Fritz and Hildegard Berg Foundation and 2023-2026 by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF, funding reference 01UP2222, COMO Study).

COPSY PUBLICATIONS

(by clicking on the respective doi you will be directed to the corresponding publication; selected internationally published articles and articles written in German with English abstracts are provided, the complete publication list can be found below)

The design, methodology, and important results about the mental health and quality of life of the COPSY study are described in the following core articles:

COPSY Wave 1 (May-June 2020)

  • Ravens-Sieberer, U., Kaman, A., Erhart, M., Devine, J., Schlack, R., & Otto, C. (2021). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on quality of life and mental health in children and adolescents in Germany. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-021-01726-5
  • Ravens-Sieberer, U., Kaman, A., Otto, C., Adedeji, A., Devine, J., Erhart, M., Napp, A.-K., Becker, M., Blanck-Stellmacher, U., Löffler, C., Schlack, R. & Hurrelmann, K. (2020).Psychische Gesundheit und Lebensqualität von Kindern und Jugendlichen während der COVID-19-Pandemie – Ergebnisse der COPSY-Studie [Mental health and quality of life in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic—results of the COPSY study]. Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, 117(48), 828-829. https://doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.2020.0828
  • Ravens-Sieberer, U., Kaman, A., Otto, C., Adedeji, A., Napp, A.-K., Becker, M., Blanck-Stellmacher, U., Löffler, C., Schlack, R., Hölling, H., Devine, J., Erhart, M. & Hurrelmann, K. (2021). Seelische Gesundheit und psychische Belastungen von Kindern und Jugendlichen in der ersten Welle der COVID-19-Pandemie – Ergebnisse der COPSY-Studie. Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-021-03291-3

COPSY Wave 2 (December 2020-January 2021)

  • Ravens-Sieberer, U., Kaman, A., Erhart, M., Otto, C., Devine, J., Löffler, C., Hurrelmann, K., Bullinger, M., Barkman, C., Siegel, N.A., Simon, A.M., Wieler, L.H., Schlack, R. &. Hölling, H. (2021). Quality of life and mental health in children and adolescents during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: results of a two-wave nationwide population-based study. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-021-01889-1
  • Güzelsoy, N., Ravens-Sieberer, U., Westenhöfer, J., Devine, J., Erhart, M., Hölling, H. & Kaman, A. (2022) Risks and Resources for Depressive Symptoms and Anxiety in Children and Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic – Results of the Longitudinal COPSY Study. Front. Psychiatry 13:901783. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.901783

COPSY Wave 3 (September-October 2021)

  • Ravens-Sieberer, U., Erhart, M.,Devine, J., Gilbert, M., Reiss, F., Barkmann, C., Siegel, N., Simon, A., Hurrelmann, K., Schlack, R., Hölling, H., Wieler, L.H. & Kaman, A. (2022). Child and Adolescent Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of the Three-Wave Longitudinal COPSY Study. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4024489
  • Ravens-Sieberer U, Kaman A, Devine J, Löffler C, Reiß F, Napp AK, Gilbert M, Naderi H, Hurrelmann K, Schlack R, Hölling H, Erhart M. (2022). The mental health and health-related behavior of children and parents during the COVID-19 pandemic: findings of the longitudinal COPSY study. Dtsch Arztebl Int; 119. https://doi.org//10.3238/arztebl.m2022.0173

COPSY Wave 4 (February 2022)

  • Kaman, A., Erhart, M., Devine, J., Reiß, F., Napp, A.-K., Simon, A., Hurrelmann, K., Schlack, R., Hölling, H., Wieler, L. & Ravens-Sieberer, U. (2022). Zwei Jahre Pandemie: Die psychische Gesundheit und Lebensqualität von Kindern und Jugendlichen – Ergebnisse der COPSY-Längsschnittstudie [Two years of pandemic: the mental health and quality of life of children and adolescents—findings of the COPSY longitudinal study]. Deutsches Ärzteblatt International. https://doi.org//10.3238/arztebl.m2023.0001

COPSY Wave 5 (September-October 2022)

  • Kaman A, Devine J, Wirtz MA, Erhart M, Boecker M, Napp AK, Reiss F, Zoellner F, Ravens-Sieberer U. Trajectories of mental health in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: findings from the longitudinal COPSY study. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2024 Jul 18;18(1):89. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-024-00776-2
  • Ravens-Sieberer, U., Devine, J., Napp, A.-K., Kaman, A., Saftig, L., Gilbert, M., Reiss, F., Löffler, C., Simon, A., Hurrelmann, K., Walper, S., Schlack, R., Hölling, H., Wieler, L.H. & Erhart, M. (2023). Three years into the pandemic:Results of the longitudinal German COPSY study on youth mental health and health-related quality of life. Front. Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1129073
  • Ravens-Sieberer, U., Kaman, A., Devine, J. & Reiß, F. (2023). Die COVID-19-Pandemie – Wie hat sie die Kinderpsyche beeinflusst?. Monatsschr Kinderheilkd. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00112-023-01775-x
  • Reiß, F., Kaman, A., Napp, A-K., Devine, J., Li, L.Y., Strelow, L., Erhart, M., Hölling, H., Schlack, R. & Ravens-Sieberer, U. (2023). Epidemiologie seelischen Wohlbefindens von Kindern und Jugendlichen in Deutschland. Ergebnisse aus 3 Studien vor und während der COVID-19-Pandemie. Bundesgesundheitsbl. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-023-03720-5

COPSY Wave 6 (October-November 2023)

  • Kaman, A., Devine, J., Erhart, M., Napp, A.K., Reiss, F., Moeller, S., Zoellner, F., Behn, S. & Ravens-Sieberer, U. (2024). Youth Mental Health in Times of Global Crises: Evidence from the Longitudinal COPSY Study. Available at SSRN: http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5043077 (Preprint)

COPSY Wave 7 (October 2024)

  • Kaman, A., Erhart, M., Devine, J., Napp, A.K., Reiss, F., Behn, S. & Ravens-Sieberer, U. (2024). Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in Times of Global Crises: Findings from the Longitudinal COPSY Study from 2020 to 2024. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=5043075 (Preprint)

The articles also compare the results of the COPSY study with pre-pandemic data from the representative BELLA study and the international HBSC study .

Results of the COPSY Hamburg study are described in the following article:

  • Kaman, A., Otto, C., Adedeji, A., Devine, J., Erhart, M., Napp, A.-K., Becker, M., Blanck-Stellmacher, U., Fertmann, R., Saier, U., & Ravens-Sieberer, U. (2021). Belastungserleben und psychische Auffälligkeiten von Kindern und Jugendlichen in Hamburg während der COVID-19-Pandemie. [Burden and mental health problems of children and adolescents in Hamburg during the COVID-19 pandemic]. Nervenheilkunde, 40(05), 319-326. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1397-5400
  • Li, L.Y., Napp, A.K., Adedeji, A., Erhart, M., Kaman, A., Boecker, M., Kloster, T., Krefis, A.C., Reiß, F. & Ravens-Sieberer. U. (2024). The impact of neighborhood deprivation on mental health and quality of life in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from the COPSY Hamburg study. PLOS ONE 19(11), e0313652. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0313652

In our reference list you can find all publications resulting from the COPSY study. Reference list

COPSY IN THE PRESS AND MEDIA

2024

Press Release December 4th 2024

The results of the 6th and 7th COPSY survey on the mental health of children and adolescents were presented in a press release dated 04.12.2024 in German.
Press release from 04.12.2024

ZDF heute journal “Rückblick: Corona-Pandemie und die Folgen - 4 Jahre nach dem ersten Lockdown“ (24.03.2024)

2023

Press Release August 18th 2023

In a press release, the consequences of the pandemic-related school closures in Germany were reported on August 18, 2023. Press release (Aug, 18th 2023)

2022

Press Release February 9th 2022

In a press release, the results of the third survey wave of the COPSY study were reported on February 9, 2022. Press release (Feb, 09th 2022)

2021

Reactions in the German and International Media and Press

Press Conference February 10th 2021

In a press conference, Prof. Dr. Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer reported results of the second wave of the COPSY study at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf on February 10, 2021. Press release (Feb 10, 2021) Recording of the press conference (Feb 10, 2021)

2020

Press Conference July 10th 2020

In a press conference on July 10, 2020, at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Prof. Dr. Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer reported on results of the COPSY study. Press release (July 10, 2020)

Reactions in the German Media and Press

Press Release May 29th 2020

The Child Public Health Research Section began a new study on the effects and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of children and adolescents in Germany. The COPSY study is led by Prof. Dr. Ravens-Sieberer and conducted by the Child Public Health Research Section at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. Press release (May 29, 2020)

INTERESTING FURTHER INFORMATION

Information from the World Health Organization on COVID and children: Are the symptoms of COVID-19 different in children? Do the new variants impact children differently? What can parents do to keep children safe from COVID-19? WHO's conversations in science with Dr Maria Van Kerkhove