“You’re just there, alone in your room with your thoughts” A qualitative study about the impact of lockdown among young people during the COVID-19 pandemic

AbstractBackgroundAdolescents and young adults have been greatly affected by quarantine measures during the coronavirus-19 pandemic. Quantitative evidence suggests that many young people have struggled with their mental health throughout “lockdown”, but little is understood about the qualitative impact of social distancing restrictions on mental health, wellbeing and social life. We therefore sought to elicit the views and experiences of adolescents and young adults living in the UK during the pandemic.MethodsSemi-structured qualitative interviews were undertaken with 37 participants aged 13-24.ResultsWe identified 4 superordinate themes most commonly described by participants about their experiences during the pandemic, including: a) missing social contact during lockdown, b) disruption to education, c) changes to social relationships, and d) improved wellbeing during lockdown. Although we identified some positive experiences during the pandemic, including an increased awareness of mental health and stronger relationship ties, many said they struggled with loneliness, a decline in mental health, and anxiety about socialising after the pandemic.ConclusionsFindings suggest that some young people may have felt less stigma talking about their mental health now compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many are worried about how the pandemic has affected their education and social connections and may require additional psychological, practical and social support. Our findings highlight the important role that education providers play in providing a source of information and support to adolescents and young adults during times of uncertainty.

Download Full-text

Report1: Impact of Covid-19 on young people aged 13-24 in the UK- preliminary findings

10.31234/osf.io/uq4rn ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Liat Levita ◽

Jilly Gibson Miller ◽

Todd K. Hartman ◽

Jamie Murphy ◽

Mark Shevlin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young People ◽

Emotional Regulation ◽

Health Anxiety ◽

Self Control ◽

Social Risk ◽

Need For Support ◽

The Uk ◽

Social Recovery ◽

The Impact

COVID-19 has led to an unprecedented disruption of normal social relationships and activities, which are so important during the teen years and young adulthood, and to education and economic activity worldwide. The impact of this on young people’s mental health and future prospects may affect their need for support and services, and the speed of the nation’s social recovery afterwards. This study focused on the unique challenges facing young people at different points during adolescent development, which spans from the onset of puberty until the mid-twenties. Although this is an immensely challenging time and there is a potential risk for long term trauma, adolescence can be a period of opportunity, where the teenagers’ brain enjoys greater capacity for change. Hence, the focus on young people is key for designing age-specific interventions and public policies, which can offer new strategies for instilling resilience, emotional regulation, and self-control. In fact, adolescents might be assisted to not only cope, but excel, in spite of the challenges imposed by this pandemic. Our work will feed into the larger societal response that utilizes the discoveries about adolescence in the way we raise, teach, and treat young people during this time of crisis. Wave 1 data has already been collected from 2,002 young people aged 13-24, measuring their mental health (anxiety, depression, trauma), family functioning, social networks, and resilience, and social risk-taking at the time of the pandemic. Here we present a preliminary report of our findings, (Report 1). Data collected 21/4/20- 29/4/20 - a month after the lockdown started).

Download Full-text

Plurality in the Measurement of Social Media Use and Mental Health: An Exploratory Study Among Adolescents and Young Adults

Social Media + Society ◽

10.1177/20563051211035353 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 205630512110353

Author(s):

Diamantis Petropoulos Petalas ◽

Elly A. Konijn ◽

Benjamin K. Johnson ◽

Jolanda Veldhuis ◽

Nadia A. J. D. Bij de Vaate ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Media ◽

Young Adults ◽

Media Effects ◽

Exploratory Study ◽

Social Life ◽

Media Use ◽

Quadratic Functions ◽

Adolescents And Young Adults ◽

Social Media Use

On a daily basis, individuals between 12 and 25 years of age engage with their mobile devices for many hours. Social Media Use (SMU) has important implications for the social life of younger individuals in particular. However, measuring SMU and its effects often poses challenges to researchers. In this exploratory study, we focus on some of these challenges, by addressing how plurality in the measurement and age-specific characteristics of SMU can influence its relationship with measures of subjective mental health (MH). We conducted a survey among a nationally representative sample of Dutch adolescents and young adults ( N = 3,669). Using these data, we show that measures of SMU show little similarity with each other, and that age-group differences underlie SMU. Similar to the small associations previously shown in social media-effects research, we also find some evidence that greater SMU associates to drops and to increases in MH. Albeit nuanced, associations between SMU and MH were found to be characterized by both linear and quadratic functions. These findings bear implications for the level of association between different measures of SMU and its theorized relationship with other dependent variables of interest in media-effects research.

Download Full-text

Protocol for a Mixed-Method Investigation of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Gambling Practices, Experiences and Marketing in the UK: The “Betting and Gaming COVID-19 Impact Study”

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17228449 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (22) ◽

pp. 8449

Author(s):

Kate Hunt ◽

Nathan Critchlow ◽

Ashley Brown ◽

Christopher Bunn ◽

Fiona Dobbie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Mixed Method ◽

Qualitative Interviews ◽

Risk Groups ◽

Third Wave ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Treatment Providers ◽

Sports Events ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedented restrictions on people’s movements and interactions, as well as the cancellation of major sports events and social activities, directly altering the gambling landscape. There is urgent need to provide regulators, policy makers and treatment providers with evidence on the patterns and context of gambling during COVID-19 and its aftermath. This protocol describes a study addressing the following three questions: (1) How has COVID-19 changed gambling practices and the risk factors for, and experience of, gambling harms? (2) What is the effect of COVID-19 on gambling marketing? (3) How has COVID-19 changed high risk groups’ gambling experiences and practices? This mixed-method study focuses on two groups, namely young adults and sports bettors. In workpackage-1, we will extend an existing longitudinal survey of gambling in young adults (aged 16–24 years) (first wave conducted June–August 2019), adding COVID-19-related questions to the second wave (July–August 2020) and extending to a third wave in 2021; and undertake a survey of sports bettors in the UK (baseline n = 4000, ~July–August 2020), with follow-ups in ~October–November 2020 and ~February-March 2021. In workpackage-2, we will examine changes in expenditure on paid-for gambling advertising from January 2019 to July 2021 and undertake a mixed-method content analysis of a random sample of paid-for gambling advertising (n ~ 200) and social media marketing (n ~ 100) during the initial COVID-19 “lockdown”. Workpackage-3 will involve qualitative interviews with a purposive sample of (a) young adults (aged 18–24 years) and (b) sports bettors.

Download Full-text

Child Health Clinical Outcome Review Programme: The Mental Healthcare of Young People and Young Adults

International Journal for Population Data Science ◽

10.23889/ijpds.v3i4.705 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Sophie Wood ◽

Sarah Rees ◽

Ting Wang ◽

Amanda Marchant ◽

Ashley Akbari ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young Adults ◽

Young People ◽

Transitional Care ◽

Healthcare Utilisation ◽

Mental Health Disorders ◽

Children And Young People ◽

Self Harm ◽

Health Disorders ◽

The Uk

IntroductionThe diagnosis, management and services available for mental disorders are of growing concern and controversy in the UK. Transitional care between child and adult services and the interface between primary and secondary/ specialist services is often disjointed and thresholds for referral to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services are high. Objectives and ApproachRoutinely collected healthcare datasets and data linkage were used to identify patterns of healthcare utilisation by young people and young adults with mental health disorders across the four UK Nations. We explored the extent to which routinely collected datasets can contribute to an assessment of the health needs and the quality of care that children and young people with mental health disorders receive. Data was requested from the national data providers in each country. A series of descriptive analyses were performed and methods were developed for cross- national comparisons to be made (e.g. Four Nation Person Spell). ResultsIt is feasible to explore healthcare utilisation across the four countries of the UK using routine data. However the recording, availability and access varied considerably between countries, making meaningful comparisons challenging. Descriptive analyses showed strong deprivation gradients in the diagnoses and care provided for young people and young adults with mental health disorders. Depression and anxiety were the most commonly recorded mental health conditions in primary care. In secondary care drug/alcohol disorders and self-harm were the most commonly recorded. Re-admissions to emergency departments were higher for those admitted for self-harm or psychiatric conditions. Conclusion/ImplicationsRoutine data has the potential to make a difference to care. However collection and access needs to be standardised in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness in improving the care for children and young people with mental health disorders. MQ has funded an Adolescent Data Platform to facilitate this.

Download Full-text

Pilot mixed-methods evaluation of interpersonal counselling for young people with depressive symptoms in non-specialist services

Evidence-Based Mental Health ◽

10.1136/ebmental-2018-300028 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 134-138 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Paul Oliver Wilkinson ◽

Viktoria Cestaro ◽

Ian Pinchen

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Young People ◽

Qualitative Interviews ◽

Current Treatment ◽

Reduced Form ◽

Youth Workers ◽

Treatment As Usual ◽

Receive Treatment ◽

The Uk

BackgroundThe majority of young people receive treatment for depressive symptoms in the UK from staff with minimal specialist mental health/therapeutic training. There is no evidence to guide them as to what treatments are likely to be effective. Interpersonal counselling (IPC) is a reduced form of interpersonal psychotherapy and may be an appropriate treatment to use in this population.ObjectivesTo test the effectiveness and acceptability of IPC delivered by youth workers to young people with primarily depressive symptoms.MethodsYouth workers received a 2-day training course in IPC, followed by regular supervision. They delivered IPC to 23 young people who they would normally see in their service, with depressive symptoms as their main problem. Symptoms were assessed by the Revised Child Depression and Anxiety Scale (RCADS). Qualitative interviews of youth workers and young people assessed acceptability.FindingsMean (SD) RCADS depression-T scores fell from 78.2 (11.1) to 52.9 (16.8). All young people and youth workers interviewed were positive about it. Participants detailed specific advantages of IPC above standard counselling, including practical help, the use of goals, psychoeducation and integrating a self-rated questionnaire into treatment.Conclusions and clinical implicationsIPC is likely to be an effective and acceptable treatment for young people with primarily depressive symptoms seen in local authority non-specialist mental health services. Further research is needed to determine if it is more effective than current treatment as usual.

Download Full-text

Report2: Impact of Covid-19 on young people aged 13-24 in the UK- preliminary findings

10.31234/osf.io/s32j8 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Liat Levita ◽

Jilly Gibson Miller ◽

Todd K. Hartman ◽

Jamie Murphy ◽

Mark Shevlin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young People ◽

Data Collection ◽

Additional Data ◽

Well Being ◽

Survey Study ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Adult Study ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact

A brief follow on report (from Report 1, see https://psyarxiv.com/uq4rn/). This report presents data on parents and their children's well being as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic from our adult survey study. In addition to presenting additional data showing a potentially significant increase in anxiety and depression in young people aged 13-24, as a consequence of COVID-19. Data collection for our Adult Study (Wave 2) took place between 22nd April and was ended on Friday, May 1st, here we report headline figures for the impact of Covid-19 on parents and their children. We have described our methods in a separate report (https://psyarxiv.com/wxe2n) and released two reports on our mental health outcomes from wave 1 (https://psyarxiv.com/hb6nq, https://psyarxiv.com/ydvc7).

Download Full-text

The Situation of Young People at Home During COVID-19 Pandemic

Childhood Vulnerability Journal ◽

10.1007/s41255-021-00014-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anna Lips

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Young People ◽

Public Space ◽

Home Environment ◽

Social Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Adolescents And Young Adults ◽

Current Phase ◽

Temporary Closure ◽

At Home

AbstractThe political restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic affect all population groups. However, they are of particular importance for those, whose current phase of life is mainly shaped by social life in public space – adolescents and young adults. The (at least temporary) closure of schools and universities, youth facilities, sports grounds, and pubs as well as contact restrictions changed the living conditions of young people. Life shifted mainly to the home environment and young people are obliged to deal with the people they are living with more than before. The Germany-wide survey “JuCo – Experiences and Perspectives of Young People during the COVID-19 Pandemic” asked young people about their well-being, worries and experiences during the time of lockdown. This article presents results on the situation at home and the well-being of adolescents and young adults of n = 5,520 respondents. Regression analysis is used to determine which influencing factors (e.g. money worries) affect well-being at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results show that different factors are influencing youth’s well being at home during the lockdown. Especially the emotional and social nature of their home environment has a very significant impact on how young respondents experience it during lockdown as well as their possibility to go outside.

Download Full-text

Reducing worry and rumination in young adults via a mobile phone app: study protocol of the ECoWeB (Emotional Competence for Well-Being in Young Adults) randomised controlled trial focused on repetitive negative thinking

BMC Psychiatry ◽

10.1186/s12888-021-03536-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Daniel Edge ◽

Alexandra Newbold ◽

Thomas Ehring ◽

Tabea Rosenkranz ◽

Mads Frost ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young Adults ◽

Young People ◽

Emotional Competence ◽

Well Being ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Repetitive Negative Thinking ◽

Randomised Controlled ◽

The Uk

Abstract Background Promoting well-being and preventing poor mental health in young people is a major global priority. Building emotional competence skills via a mobile app may be an effective, scalable and acceptable way to do this. A particular risk factor for anxiety and depression is elevated worry and rumination (repetitive negative thinking, RNT). An app designed to reduce RNT may prevent future incidence of depression and anxiety. Method/design The Emotional Competence for Well-Being in Young Adults study developed an emotional competence app to be tested via randomised controlled trials in a longitudinal prospective cohort. This off-shoot study adapts the app to focus on targeting RNT (worry, rumination), known risk factors for poor mental health. In this study, 16–24 year olds in the UK, who report elevated worry and rumination on standardised questionnaires are randomised to (i) receive the RNT-targeting app immediately for 6 weeks (ii) a waiting list control who receive the app after 6 weeks. In total, the study will aim to recruit 204 participants, with no current diagnosis of major depression, bipolar disorder or psychosis, across the UK. Assessments take place at baseline (pre-randomisation), 6 and 12 weeks post-randomisation. Primary endpoint and outcome for the study is level of rumination assessed on the Rumination Response Styles Questionnaire at 6 weeks. Worry, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and well-being are secondary outcomes. Compliance, adverse events and potentially mediating variables will be carefully monitored. Discussion This trial aims to better understand the benefits of tackling RNT via an mobile phone app intervention in young people. This prevention mechanism trial will establish whether targeting worry and rumination directly via an app provides a feasible approach to prevent depression and anxiety, with scope to become a widescale public health strategy for preventing poor mental health and promoting well-being in young people. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04950257. Registered 6 July 2021 – Retrospectively registered.

Download Full-text

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adult mental health in the UK: A rapid systematic review

10.1101/2021.08.23.21262469 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Eleonore Batteux ◽

Jo Taylor ◽

Holly Carter

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Protective Factors ◽

Social Contact ◽

Policy Recommendations ◽

Effective Policy ◽

Risky Behaviours ◽

Different Populations ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact

Background. There is evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the mental health of the UK population, but this needs synthesising to guide effective policy recommendations and ensure support is targeted to populations most at risk. We conducted a rapid systematic review of the evidence of the impact of COVID-19 and associated restrictions on the mental health of UK adults, including risk and protective factors. Method. A range of databases were searched to identify eligible studies. Studies were eligible if they reported primary quantitative or qualitative research on the mental health of UK adults between March 2020 and March 2021. Journal publications and pre-prints were included. Reviews, position papers, protocol papers and studies published in languages other than English were excluded. The study authors screened papers for eligibility and included 102 papers in the analysis. Results. The evidence from this review indicates that the mental health of UK adults has declined since the start of the pandemic, with different populations being unequally affected. Populations particularly affected are women, young adults, ethnic minorities, people from lower socio-economic backgrounds, people with pre-existing conditions and people who have had COVID-19. Other risk factors include having to isolate and time spent watching pandemic related news. Protective factors include social contact and maintaining healthy behaviours, such as physical activity. Conclusions. Policy should aim to discourage risky behaviours while ensuring support is available for people to engage in protective behaviours. Interventions should be directed towards populations that have been most adversely affected. Addressing the decline in mental health across the UK population since the COVID-19 pandemic will require increasing mental health provision and ensuring equitable access to support.

Download Full-text

Psykisk helsearbeid på internett: konsekvenser for normalitets- og identitetsdannelse hos ungdom

Norsk Epidemiologi ◽

10.5324/nje.v20i1.1290 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Anders Johan W. Andersen ◽

Tommy Svensson

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young Adults ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Young People ◽

Health Services ◽

Social Inclusion ◽

Qualitative Content Analysis ◽

English Summary ◽

Adolescents And Young Adults ◽

Font Size

Psykisk helsearbeid på internett øker i omfang, og verdsettes på grunn av bekvemmelighet, lave kostnader og muligheter for anonymitet. Artikkelen bygger på en kartlegging av norske og svenske nettbaserte eposttjenester for ungdom og unge voksne, og viser at det var 24 nettsteder som tilbød slike tjenester i 2009. Tjenestene hadde opphav i både offentlig og frivillig sektor. Flesteparten av sidene fra offentlig sektor tok utgangspunkt i eksisterende tjenestetilbud, og var en videreutvikling av tjenestene for å styrke tilgjengeligheten av psykisk helsetjenester. Andre sider oppsto som en konsekvens av FNs konvensjon av barns rettigheter. Størsteparten av sidene fra frivillig sektor ble utviklet som følge av et personlig og/eller fagpolitisk engasjement. Fire hovedtema for e-posttjenestene ble identifisert: 1) Kropp, kjønn og seksuell helse; 2) Informasjon og kontakt med voksne; 3) Rus og rusmidler; 4) Psykiske problemer. Studien viser at nettjenestene argumenterer for at det er viktig for ungdoms psykiske helse at de blir inkludert og akseptert i et fellesskap og at de opplever å bli respektert på egne premisser. Samtidig videreføres et ideal om det uavhengige og autonome mennesket, og nettjenestene formidler samlet sett et spenningsfylt budskap om at ungdom er avhengige av andre for å bli og forbli uavhengige individer. Psykisk helsearbeid på internett framstår som en måte å håndtere denne spenningen på, og muliggjør at ungdom kan håndtere en identitet som både avhengige og uavhengige mennesker. Studien viser forskjeller knyttet til begrepsforståelse, og peker på viktigheten av å utforske meningsinnholdet i psykisk helse nærmere.Mental health services on the Internet. ENGLISH SUMMARY: The demand for Internet-based mental health services are increasing. The services are valued for their convenience, low cost and opportunities for anonymity. This article is based on a survey of Norwegian and Swedish Internet-based email services for adolescents and young adults. The objective was to explore the ways in which these services mould young people's view on normality and identity and how they contribute to mental health. 24 websites were systematically reviewed. Most of the sites from public sector derived from existing services and can best be understood as an attempt to enhance the availability of the same services for adolescents and young adults. Other sites were closely connected to the UN Convention of children’s rights. A majority of the services from voluntary sector were developed as a result of initiatives taken by professionals or private persons. The email services focused different issues. A qualitative content analysis identified four main themes: 1) Body, gender and sexual health, 2) Information and contact with adults, 3) Drugs and substance abuse, 4) Mental problems. In order to contribute to mental health amongst adolescents and young adults the services emphasise the importance of social inclusion and acceptation. At the same time the services maintain an ideal of the independent and autonomous human being. The services send out a message stating that young people are dependent on others to become and remain independent persons. Internet-based mental health services enables young people to deal with an identity as both dependent and independent. The study reveals differences regarding the concept of mental health, and emphasise the importance of exploring the concept and meaning of mental health more closely.

Download Full-text