Patterns of COVID-19 related lifestyle disruptions and their associations with mental health outcomes among youth and young adults

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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic is a socionatural disaster that has disrupted the lives of individuals, families, and communities. Youth and young adults (YYA) were uniquely vulnerable to the proximal mental health effects of the pandemic; however, few studies have examined the long-term mental health effects of the pandemic. In the present study, we sought to (a) identity distinctive profiles of COVID-related lifestyle disruptions experienced by YYA, (b) investigate sociodemographic characteristics correlates of profile membership, and (c) examine the extent to which profile membership was prospectively associated with changes in depressive and anxiety symptoms. Hypothesis were tested using latent profile analysis with data from 1055 YYA collected across two time-points, 6-months apart. Results produced a three-class model: low- (11%), moderate- (61%), and high-levels of (28%) disruption. Members of the high levels of disruption group were more likely to identify as Black or Latinx American, bisexual/pansexual, or as transgender or gender diverse in comparison to the low levels of disruption group. Inclusion in the high levels of disruption group was associated with increases in depressive and anxiety symptoms from T1 to T2. YYA from multiple marginalize communities (i. e. those who identified as both racial/ethnic and sexual/gender minorities) experienced the greatest levels of lifestyle disruption related to COVID-19. Consequently, disruptive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic prospectively eroded their mental health. YYA are in urgent need of developmentally appropriate resources to effectively recovery from the pandemic.

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Unprecedented disruption of lives and work: Health, distress and life satisfaction of working adults in China one month into the COVID-19 outbreak

Stephen Zhang, Yifei Wang, Andreas Rauch … (2020)

Highlights • Adults who did not work in the outbreak were worse in mental and physical health, distress and life satisfaction. • The identification of whose health and wellbeing is more affected by the disruption enables more targeted assistance. • The early evidence from China can help countries that consider implementing confinement policies to contain COVID-19.

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Emotional distress in young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence of risk and resilience from a longitudinal cohort study

Lilly Shanahan, Annekatrin Steinhoff, Laura Bechtiger … (2020)

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and associated lockdown could be considered a ‘perfect storm’ for increases in emotional distress. Such increases can only be identified by studies that use data collected before and during the pandemic. Longitudinal data are also needed to examine (1) the roles of previous distress and stressors in emotional distress during the pandemic and (2) how COVID-19-related stressors and coping strategies are associated with emotional distress when pre-pandemic distress is accounted for. Methods Data came from a cohort study (N = 768). Emotional distress (perceived stress, internalizing symptoms, and anger), COVID-19-related stressors, and coping strategies were measured during the pandemic/lockdown when participants were aged 22. Previous distress and stressors were measured before COVID-19 (at age 20). Results On average, participants showed increased levels of perceived stress and anger (but not internalizing symptoms) during the pandemic compared to before. Pre-COVID-19 emotional distress was the strongest predictor of during-pandemic emotional distress, followed by during-pandemic economic and psychosocial stressors (e.g. lifestyle and economic disruptions) and hopelessness, and pre-pandemic social stressors (e.g. bullying victimization and stressful life events). Most health risks to self or loved ones due to COVID-19 were not uniquely associated with emotional distress in final models. Coping strategies associated with reduced distress included keeping a daily routine, physical activity, and positive reappraisal/reframing. Conclusions In our community sample, pre-pandemic distress, secondary consequences of the pandemic (e.g. lifestyle and economic disruptions), and pre-pandemic social stressors were more consistently associated with young adults' emotional distress than COVID-19-related health risk exposures.