The compounding effects of income loss and change in living arrangement on emerging adult women’s mental health during COVID’s onset

Abstract

ABSTRACT Research suggests that young adult women were among those more susceptible to mental health declines in the initial months of COVID-19. Unfortunately, longitudinal data examining mental health before and after the pandemic’s onset are extremely limited. In a sample of 240 women ages 18–29 who were surveyed online first in November-December 2019 and then again between May and July 2020, this study aimed to examine how major life changes associated with the pandemic (i.e. loss of income, loss of employment, change in relationship status, and change in living arrangement) impacted mental health (i.e. depression, anxiety, stress). Multivariate regression analyses were conducted on three models predicting stress, anxiety, and depression from the four life changes, controlling for the effects of mental health before the COVID-19 pandemic. Results showed that a change in living arrangement was uniformly associated with increased mental health problems among women who also experienced a decrease in income. Likewise, loss of income was uniformly related to increased mental health problems among women who also experienced a change in living arrangement. In contrast, job loss was associated with a decrease in stress, and changes in relationship status were not associated with mental health outcomes. These findings highlight the potential for COVID-19 to produce co-occurring and synergistic stressors. Meanwhile, the impact of job loss on mental health may have been attenuated by enhanced unemployment benefits. Mental health interventions that aim to support young women as the pandemic abates should be tailored to address the impact of multiple psychosocial stressors.