Exposure to cold and heat could affect adolescents' mental health

Exposure to cold and heat could affect adolescents' mental health, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open. The research, led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), was conducted with nearly 5,000 adolescents from the Netherlands (3,934) and Spain (885). The results showed how exposure to environmental temperatures influences psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and attention problems.

28/01/2025 - 17:30 CET
Expert reactions

Lobo - Temperatura adolescentes

Alberto Ortiz Lobo

Doctor of Medicine and Psychiatrist at the Carlos III Day Hospital - La Paz University Hospital (Madrid)

Science Media Centre Spain

The research examines the impact of exposure to colder or warmer temperatures on mental health and the potential repercussions that climate change might have on people in this regard. The analysis focuses on two groups of adolescents, Dutch and Spanish, comparing them with each other.

The results show that exposure to colder temperatures was associated with more internalizing problems (anxiety, depression) in Dutch adolescents, while exposure to warmer temperatures was linked to more attention problems in Spanish adolescents.

However, this potential influence of temperature does not occur in reverse. That is, cold temperatures were not significantly associated with internalizing problems nor did they influence the mental health of Spanish adolescents, and heat exposure had no significant effect on Dutch adolescents either. This raises the question of whether variations in the way adolescents express distress (whether through internalization or reduced attention) are more conditioned by cultural, social, or educational factors.

Additionally, the temperature measurement in the research was conducted outdoors, and the conditions of homes (insulation, air conditioning, heating) and schools play a crucial role in mitigating the thermal impact on people's emotional and physical well-being.

The author has not responded to our request to declare conflicts of interest
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Giovanna Fico - adolescentes temperatura

Giovanna Fico

Assistant Doctor of Psychiatry and postdoctoral researcher at the Bipolar and Depressive Disorders Unit of the Psychiatry and Psychology Department of the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona.

Science Media Centre Spain

In recent years climate change, previously considered primarily a risk factor for physical illness in vulnerable populations, has begun to be studied as a significant risk for mental health as well. This recent cohort study of adolescents in Spain and the Netherlands reveals that cumulative exposure to extreme temperatures (very high or very low) is associated with an increase in psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety, depression and attention difficulties. 

Although the study is methodologically sound and focuses on a high-risk population such as adolescents, it has some important limitations. A key aspect is that the previous presence of mental health problems, which could significantly influence vulnerability to environmental events, depending on their type and severity, was not considered as a variable. In addition, the influence of genetic factors on susceptibility to certain psychiatric symptoms could play a crucial role. Adolescents with a higher genetic predisposition may manifest psychiatric symptoms more readily when exposed to environmental stress, making them an even more sensitive and priority group for preventive and early interventions. 

Despite these limitations, the findings are consistent with previous research in the general population, which has shown that exposure to extreme temperatures increases psychiatric hospital admissions, suicidal behaviour and mortality associated with mental disorders (Radua et al., 2024). 

There is an urgent need to design public policies and intervention strategies that protect adolescents from the mental health impacts of climate change. The study also highlights the importance of implementing psychological assessments and specific preventive measures to mitigate extreme environmental stress in this vulnerable population.

The author has not responded to our request to declare conflicts of interest
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Temperature Exposure and Psychiatric Symptoms in Adolescents From 2 European Birth Cohorts
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