Emerging Adult Mental Health During COVID: Exploring Relationships Between Discrete and Cumulative Individual and Contextual Stressors and Well-Being

Abstract

PurposeIndicators of poor mental health increased during the COVID-19 pandemic among emerging adults aged 18–24 years, a group already at elevated risk. This study explores associations between contextual and personal stressors with symptoms of emerging adults’ anxiety and depression, assessing both multidimensional and distinct measures of stress. MethodsUsing Census Household Pulse Surveys from emerging adults aged 18 to 24 years (N = 71,885) and administrative data from April 23, 2020 to March 29, 2021, we estimated logistic regression models adjusted for state and wave fixed effects. ResultsRates of elevated anxiety and depressive symptoms rose dramatically among emerging adults during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results indicate that potential contextual stressors—state COVID-19 rates and state COVID-19 mitigation policies limiting social interactions (stay-at-home orders, restaurant closures, large gathering restrictions, and mask mandates)—were not significantly associated with symptoms. In contrast, personal economic stressors (nonemployment, household income loss, food insecurity, housing insecurity, lacking health insurance) and disruptions to education were associated significantly with elevated anxiety and depressive symptoms, with greater numbers of stressors associated with worse well-being. DiscussionEmerging adults reported persistently high levels of elevated anxiety and depressive symptoms during the first year of the pandemic, outcomes associated not with COVID-19 rates or mitigation policies, but with economic inequities, and other personal stressors heightened by the pandemic. Providing targeted support for young adults, including ensuring access to mental health supports, health care, and economic relief, is critical.