Abstract
The coronavirus [coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)] pandemic has introduced extraordinary life changes and stress, particularly in adolescents and young adults. Initial reports suggest that depression and anxiety are elevated during COVID-19, but no prior study has explored changes at the within-person level. The current study explored changes in depression and anxiety symptoms from before the pandemic to soon after it first peaked in Spring 2020 in a sample of adolescents and young adults (N = 451) living in Long Island, New York, an early epicenter of COVID-19 in the U.S. Depression (Children's Depression Inventory) and anxiety symptoms (Screen for Child Anxiety Related Symptoms) were assessed between December 2014 and July 2019, and, along with COVID-19 experiences, symptoms were re-assessed between March 27th and May 15th, 2020. Across participants and independent of age, there were increased generalized anxiety and social anxiety symptoms. In females, there were also increased depression and panic/somatic symptoms. Multivariable linear regression indicated that greater COVID-19 school concerns were uniquely associated with increased depression symptoms. Greater COVID-19 home confinement concerns were uniquely associated with increased generalized anxiety symptoms, and decreased social anxiety symptoms, respectively. Adolescents and young adults at an early epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. experienced increased depression and anxiety symptoms, particularly amongst females. School and home confinement concerns related to the pandemic were independently associated with changes in symptoms. Overall, this report suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic is having multifarious adverse effects on the mental health of youth.
Highlights
The novel coronavirus [coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)] pandemic has disrupted the lives of individuals around the world
An emerging literature suggests that depression and anxiety symptoms may be elevated during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that certain populations are more vulnerable to worsening mental health during the pandemic (Torales, O’Higgins, Castaldelli-Maia, & Ventriglio, 2020; Vindegaard & Benros, 2020)
The current study explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents and young adults living in Long Island, New York
Summary
The novel coronavirus [coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)] pandemic has disrupted the lives of individuals around the world. Just one study was conducted in the U.S Lee, Cadigan, and Rhew (2020) found that symptoms of depression and loneliness increased from right before (January 2020) to during (April/May 2020) the COVID-19 pandemic in a sample of young adults (aged 22–29) living in Seattle, Washington. The current study explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents and young adults living in Long Island, New York. New York state was one of the first regions in the U.S to be severely impacted by the pandemic, reaching nearly 300 000 cases and over 18 000 deaths from COVID-19 by the end of April 2020, the highest rate per capita of any state at the time (Centers for Disease Control, 2020). We assessed change in symptoms from before to during the pandemic, and explored the impact of various pandemic-related experiences on symptom change
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