The impact of the initial COVID-19 outbreak on young adults’ mental health: a longitudinal study of risk and resilience factors
Abstract Few studies assessing the effects of COVID-19 on mental health include prospective markers of risk and resilience necessary to understand and mitigate the combined impacts of the pandemic, lockdowns, and other societal responses. This population-based study of young adults includes individu...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2022-10-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-21053-2 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850208610245672960 |
|---|---|
| author | Anna Wiedemann Jan Stochl Sharon A. S. Neufeld Jessica Fritz Junaid Bhatti Roxanne W. Hook NSPN Consortium Ian M. Goodyer Raymond J. Dolan Edward T. Bullmore Samuel R. Chamberlain Peter Fonagy Jesus Perez Peter B. Jones |
| author_facet | Anna Wiedemann Jan Stochl Sharon A. S. Neufeld Jessica Fritz Junaid Bhatti Roxanne W. Hook NSPN Consortium Ian M. Goodyer Raymond J. Dolan Edward T. Bullmore Samuel R. Chamberlain Peter Fonagy Jesus Perez Peter B. Jones |
| author_sort | Anna Wiedemann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Few studies assessing the effects of COVID-19 on mental health include prospective markers of risk and resilience necessary to understand and mitigate the combined impacts of the pandemic, lockdowns, and other societal responses. This population-based study of young adults includes individuals from the Neuroscience in Psychiatry Network (n = 2403) recruited from English primary care services and schools in 2012–2013 when aged 14–24. Participants were followed up three times thereafter, most recently during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 outbreak when they were aged between 19 and 34. Repeated measures of psychological distress (K6) and mental wellbeing (SWEMWBS) were supplemented at the latest assessment by clinical measures of depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7). A total of 1000 participants, 42% of the original cohort, returned to take part in the COVID-19 follow-up; 737 completed all four assessments [mean age (SD), 25.6 (3.2) years; 65.4% female; 79.1% White]. Our findings show that the pandemic led to pronounced deviations from existing mental health-related trajectories compared to expected levels over approximately seven years. About three-in-ten young adults reported clinically significant depression (28.8%) or anxiety (27.6%) under current NHS guidelines; two-in-ten met clinical cut-offs for both. About 9% reported levels of psychological distress likely to be associated with serious functional impairments that substantially interfere with major life activities; an increase by 3% compared to pre-pandemic levels. Deviations from personal trajectories were not necessarily restricted to conventional risk factors; however, individuals with pre-existing health conditions suffered disproportionately during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Resilience factors known to support mental health, particularly in response to adverse events, were at best mildly protective of individual psychological responses to the pandemic. Our findings underline the importance of monitoring the long-term effects of the ongoing pandemic on young adults’ mental health, an age group at particular risk for the emergence of psychopathologies. Our findings further suggest that maintaining access to mental health care services during future waves, or potential new pandemics, is particularly crucial for those with pre-existing health conditions. Even though resilience factors known to support mental health were only mildly protective during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, it remains to be seen whether these factors facilitate mental health in the long term. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0b3c317c601945e8b3a06e19cfa4624c |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-0b3c317c601945e8b3a06e19cfa4624c2025-08-20T02:10:12ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-10-0112111410.1038/s41598-022-21053-2The impact of the initial COVID-19 outbreak on young adults’ mental health: a longitudinal study of risk and resilience factorsAnna Wiedemann0Jan Stochl1Sharon A. S. Neufeld2Jessica Fritz3Junaid Bhatti4Roxanne W. Hook5NSPN ConsortiumIan M. Goodyer6Raymond J. Dolan7Edward T. Bullmore8Samuel R. Chamberlain9Peter Fonagy10Jesus Perez11Peter B. Jones12Department of Psychiatry, University of CambridgeDepartment of Psychiatry, University of CambridgeDepartment of Psychiatry, University of CambridgeDepartment of Psychiatry, University of CambridgeDepartment of Psychiatry, University of CambridgeDepartment of Psychiatry, University of CambridgeDepartment of Psychiatry, University of CambridgeMax Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing ResearchDepartment of Psychiatry, University of CambridgeDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of SouthamptonResearch Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College LondonDepartment of Psychiatry, University of CambridgeDepartment of Psychiatry, University of CambridgeAbstract Few studies assessing the effects of COVID-19 on mental health include prospective markers of risk and resilience necessary to understand and mitigate the combined impacts of the pandemic, lockdowns, and other societal responses. This population-based study of young adults includes individuals from the Neuroscience in Psychiatry Network (n = 2403) recruited from English primary care services and schools in 2012–2013 when aged 14–24. Participants were followed up three times thereafter, most recently during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 outbreak when they were aged between 19 and 34. Repeated measures of psychological distress (K6) and mental wellbeing (SWEMWBS) were supplemented at the latest assessment by clinical measures of depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7). A total of 1000 participants, 42% of the original cohort, returned to take part in the COVID-19 follow-up; 737 completed all four assessments [mean age (SD), 25.6 (3.2) years; 65.4% female; 79.1% White]. Our findings show that the pandemic led to pronounced deviations from existing mental health-related trajectories compared to expected levels over approximately seven years. About three-in-ten young adults reported clinically significant depression (28.8%) or anxiety (27.6%) under current NHS guidelines; two-in-ten met clinical cut-offs for both. About 9% reported levels of psychological distress likely to be associated with serious functional impairments that substantially interfere with major life activities; an increase by 3% compared to pre-pandemic levels. Deviations from personal trajectories were not necessarily restricted to conventional risk factors; however, individuals with pre-existing health conditions suffered disproportionately during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Resilience factors known to support mental health, particularly in response to adverse events, were at best mildly protective of individual psychological responses to the pandemic. Our findings underline the importance of monitoring the long-term effects of the ongoing pandemic on young adults’ mental health, an age group at particular risk for the emergence of psychopathologies. Our findings further suggest that maintaining access to mental health care services during future waves, or potential new pandemics, is particularly crucial for those with pre-existing health conditions. Even though resilience factors known to support mental health were only mildly protective during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, it remains to be seen whether these factors facilitate mental health in the long term.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-21053-2 |
| spellingShingle | Anna Wiedemann Jan Stochl Sharon A. S. Neufeld Jessica Fritz Junaid Bhatti Roxanne W. Hook NSPN Consortium Ian M. Goodyer Raymond J. Dolan Edward T. Bullmore Samuel R. Chamberlain Peter Fonagy Jesus Perez Peter B. Jones The impact of the initial COVID-19 outbreak on young adults’ mental health: a longitudinal study of risk and resilience factors Scientific Reports |
| title | The impact of the initial COVID-19 outbreak on young adults’ mental health: a longitudinal study of risk and resilience factors |
| title_full | The impact of the initial COVID-19 outbreak on young adults’ mental health: a longitudinal study of risk and resilience factors |
| title_fullStr | The impact of the initial COVID-19 outbreak on young adults’ mental health: a longitudinal study of risk and resilience factors |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of the initial COVID-19 outbreak on young adults’ mental health: a longitudinal study of risk and resilience factors |
| title_short | The impact of the initial COVID-19 outbreak on young adults’ mental health: a longitudinal study of risk and resilience factors |
| title_sort | impact of the initial covid 19 outbreak on young adults mental health a longitudinal study of risk and resilience factors |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-21053-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT annawiedemann theimpactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT janstochl theimpactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT sharonasneufeld theimpactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT jessicafritz theimpactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT junaidbhatti theimpactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT roxannewhook theimpactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT nspnconsortium theimpactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT ianmgoodyer theimpactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT raymondjdolan theimpactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT edwardtbullmore theimpactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT samuelrchamberlain theimpactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT peterfonagy theimpactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT jesusperez theimpactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT peterbjones theimpactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT annawiedemann impactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT janstochl impactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT sharonasneufeld impactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT jessicafritz impactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT junaidbhatti impactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT roxannewhook impactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT nspnconsortium impactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT ianmgoodyer impactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT raymondjdolan impactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT edwardtbullmore impactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT samuelrchamberlain impactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT peterfonagy impactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT jesusperez impactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors AT peterbjones impactoftheinitialcovid19outbreakonyoungadultsmentalhealthalongitudinalstudyofriskandresiliencefactors |