Adolescent loneliness, stress and depressive symptoms during the COVID ‐19 pandemic: The protective role of friends

Cultural Dimensions Moderate the Association between Loneliness and Mental Health during Adolescence and Younger Adulthood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Cultural factors, such as country or continent, influence the relationship between loneliness and mental health. However, less is known about how cultural dimensions moderate this relationship during adolescence and younger adulthood, even if these dimensions manifest as country or continent differences. This study aims to examine the potential influence of Hofstede's cultural dimensions on this relationship using a three-level meta-analysis approach. A total of 292 studies with 291,946 participants aged 10 to 24 were included in this study. The results indicate that cultural dimensions, such as individualism vs. collectivism, indulgence vs. restraint, power distance, and long-term vs. short-term orientation, moderated the associations between loneliness and social anxiety, stress, Internet overuse, and negative affect. The association between loneliness and mental health was not moderated by cultural dimensions, such as masculinity and uncertainty avoidance. These findings suggest that culture's influence on the association between loneliness and mental health is based on a domain-specific mechanism.

The impact of COVID-19 on the peer relationships of adolescents around the world: A rapid systematic review

The main objective of this rapid systematic review was to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted peer relationships for adolescents (10-25 years of age) around the globe. We focused on four indices of peer relationships: (1) loneliness, (2) social connectedness, (3) social support, and (4) social media use. In addition, we examined gender and age differences. Four databases (APA PsychInfo, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) were searched for articles published from January 2020 to November 2022. A total of 96 studies (cross-sectional: n = 66, longitudinal: n = 30, quantitative: n = 67, qualitative: n = 12, mixed-methods: n = 17) met our inclusion criteria (empirical observational studies with data on at least one of the indices of interest, cross-sectional data on COVID-19-related experiences or longitudinal data collected during the pandemic, age range of 10-25 years, typically developing adolescents). We extracted data and conducted a narrative synthesis. Findings suggest that COVID-19 disruptions negatively impacted peer relationships for youth. Most studies reported either an increase in loneliness over the course of the pandemic or a positive association between loneliness and COVID-19-related experiences. Similar findings were observed for increased social media use as a means of continued communication and connection. Fewer studies focused on social support but those that did reported a decrease or negative association with COVID-19-related experiences. Lastly, findings suggest a mixed impact on social connectedness, which might be due to the strengthening of closer ties and weakening of more distant relationships. Results for gender differences were mixed, and a systematic comparison of differences across ages was not possible. The heterogeneity in measures of COVID-19-related experiences as well as timing of data collection prevented a more nuanced examination of short and more long-term impacts.

Bullying at School, Cyberbullying, and Loneliness: National Representative Study of Adolescents in Denmark

AIMS

The aim was to examine how loneliness was associated with bullying victimization at school and online.

METHODS

We used data from the Danish arm of the international Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study from 2022. The study population was a nationally representative sample of 11-15-year-olds who completed the internationally standardized HBSC questionnaire at school, n = 5382. Multilevel logistic regression was applied to study the associations between bullying victimization and loneliness.

RESULTS

The prevalence of reporting loneliness often or very often was 9.0%; 6.3% of the sample experienced habitual bullying victimization at school, and 4.8% incurred cyberbullying. There was a strong and graded association between loneliness and bullying victimization at school and cyberbullying. The associations were significant for boys and girls, and the association between exposure to bullying at school and loneliness was steeper for boys than girls. The gradients were steeper for physical bullying than for cyberbullying. Students exposed to habitual bullying in both contexts had an adjusted OR (95% CI) of 11.21 (6.99-17.98) for loneliness.

CONCLUSION

Exposure to bullying at school and cyberbullying are strongly associated with loneliness. It is important to reduce bullying at school and on the internet and to promote effective interventions to reduce continuing loneliness.

Longitudinal Associations Between Pet Relationship Quality and Socio-Emotional Functioning in Early Adolescence

Adolescence is a key developmental period for socio-emotional skills, and companion animal relationships may be one potential source of emotional support and resilience during this time. This study used longitudinal data from 940 pet-owning adolescents, collected over four time points, from youth in the Northeastern United States. We assessed whether pet relationship quality (indexed by relationship satisfaction, companionship, and emotional disclosure) predicted trajectories of loneliness, social anxiety, and depression. Results indicated that high satisfaction with a pet relationship was associated with more favorable trajectories, but companionship (i.e., regarding frequency of interacting with the pet) was not related significantly to socio-emotional functioning. High levels of disclosure to a pet were linked with less favorable trajectories for loneliness and depression, but not related to social anxiety. These results suggest that a pet relationship can, in some cases, be associated positively with socio-emotional development, but that there is significant complexity in these associations. Families, educators, and practitioners should take a nuanced approach to understanding individual adolescent-pet relationships as a contextual asset for specific youth.

Social experiences and youth psychopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study

The early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated stay-at-home orders resulted in a stark reduction in daily social interactions for children and adolescents. Given that peer relationships are especially important during this developmental stage, it is crucial to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social behavior and risk for psychopathology in children and adolescents. In a longitudinal sample (N=224) of children (7-10y) and adolescents (13-15y) assessed at three strategic time points (before the pandemic, during the initial stay-at-home order period, and six months later after the initial stay-at-home order period was lifted), we examine whether certain social factors protect against increases in stress-related psychopathology during the pandemic, controlling for pre-pandemic symptoms. Youth who reported less in-person and digital socialization, greater social isolation, and less social support had worsened psychopathology during the pandemic. Greater social isolation and decreased digital socialization during the pandemic were associated with greater risk for psychopathology after experiencing pandemic-related stressors. In addition, children, but not adolescents, who maintained some in-person socialization were less likely to develop internalizing symptoms following exposure to pandemic-related stressors. We identify social factors that promote well-being and resilience in youth during this societal event.

Reliability and validity evaluation of the stigma of loneliness scale in Chinese college students

BACKGROUND

The stigma of loneliness exacerbates the negative effect of loneliness, reduces the willingness to seek help, damages interpersonal relationships, and threatens health status. However, there is currently no valid scale for measuring the stigma of loneliness in China. The study aims to translate the Stigma of Loneliness Scale (SLS) and evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version.

METHODS

The investigation was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, the SLS was used to conduct a questionnaire survey on 657 college students aged 17 to 24; in the second phase, the SLS, the UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-8), the Distress Disclosure Index (DDI), the Revised Cheek and Buss Shyness Scale (RCBS), the Self-Concealment Scale (SCS), the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS), the Social Phobia Scale (SPS), the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) were used to conduct the questionnaire survey on 801 college and graduates students aged 18 to 39.

RESULTS

Two dimensions of Self-stigma of Loneliness and Public Stigma of Loneliness were extracted with a cumulative factor interpretation rate of 74.60% when conducting exploratory factor analysis on the first-stage data. The factor loading of each item ranged from 0.585 to 0.890, and the commonality ranged from 0.609 to 0.735. The confirmatory factor analysis and reliability and validity test were carried out on the data gathered in the second phase, indicating that the two-factor model fits well. In addition, the scores of SLS and all dimensions were significantly positively correlated with the total scores of ULS-8, RCBS, SCS, SIAS, SPS, and K10, and negatively correlated with those of DDI and RSES. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for SLS and SSL and PSL dimensions were 0.957, 0.941, and 0.955. The cross-group invariance test found that the SLS was equivalent for males and females. Meanwhile, males scored significantly higher than females on both the total scores of SLS score and each dimension.

CONCLUSIONS

The Chinese version of SLS displayed satisfactory psychometric properties and can be a valid tool to assess the stigma of loneliness among Chinese young people.

Factors affecting depression in adolescents with increased suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study examines factors influencing depression in adolescents with increased suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on an ecological model and using data from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey, 2018. We selected adolescents whose suicidal ideation increased between the third and fourth years of the pandemic and who identified their parents as their guardians. Factors related to depression in adolescents were analyzed using stepwise multiple regression, while considering personal and environmental characteristics in the family and school domains. All models were significant, and Model 3 explained 26.8% of the variance. In Model 3, personal characteristics-physical activity, sleep quality on school days, and smartphone dependence-affected adolescents' depression. Parents' life satisfaction and a rejective childrearing attitude were also found to be significant factors affecting adolescents' depression, along with school life satisfaction and school type. Our findings can inform evidence-based nursing interventions to reduce depression in adolescents with increased suicidal ideation. They can also contribute to building strategies to promote mental health in schools after the pandemic, forming healthy life habits, and laying the foundation for lifelong health.

The robust reciprocal relationship between loneliness and depressive symptoms among the general population: Evidence from a quantitative analysis of 37 studies

BACKGROUND

Loneliness has long been associated with depressive symptoms, but there is no evidence on the question of "which comes first". To help us to answer this question, this study conducted a meta-analysis using a cross-lagged formula to examine the reciprocal relations between loneliness and depressive symptoms, as well as potential moderators.

METHODS

The meta-analytic dataset consisted of 37 studies with sample sizes ranging from 52 to 5991. Effect sizes (including autoregressive effects and lagged coefficients) were included. We computed weighted mean effect sizes for the correlation effect and cross-lagged effect between loneliness and depressive symptoms. We also performed a meta-regression to investigate potential moderators.

RESULTS

The results showed that loneliness and depressive symptoms reciprocally predicted each other over time with similar effect sizes. There was no moderation of our overall effect size in either direction by time interval between measurements, the proportion of female participants, mean age of the sample, or type of measurement.

LIMITATIONS

Caution should be taken in drawing final conclusions about the relative strength of reciprocal effects between loneliness and depressive symptoms due to the potential influence of varied research focus in the included studies, which could affect the effect size.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings advance the study of the relationship between loneliness and depressive symptoms by providing evidence that the link between them is symmetrically reciprocal and robust, which may help clinicians to develop effective intervention methods.

Adolescent psychological adjustment and social supports during pandemic-onset remote learning: A national multi-wave daily-diary study

In spring 2020, U.S. schools universally transitioned to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic's onset, thus creating a natural experiment for examining adolescents' risk and resilience during an ongoing school crisis response. This longitudinal study used a daily-diary approach to investigate the role of social support in the link between remote learning and psychological well-being across 64 days among a national sample of adolescents (n = 744; 42% Black, 36% White, 22% Other ethnicity/race; 41% boys; 72% eligible for free/reduced-priced lunch; Mage=14.60, SDage=1.71, age-range = 12-17 years). On days when youth attended remote learning, they reported lower daily positive affect, more daily stress, and higher parent social support. There were no significant differences in the effect of remote learning on affect or stress by race or economic status. On days when youth experienced more parent support, they reported lower daily stress and negative affect and higher daily positive affect. On days when youth experienced more peer support, they reported higher daily positive affect. Overall, the study highlights the impact of pandemic-onset remote learning on adolescents' psychological well-being and emphasizes the need for future research on school crisis contingency planning to address these challenges.

Understanding adolescent stress during the COVID-19 pandemic

Longitudinal studies across the globe documented significant increases in psychological stress and mental health problems among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health concerns, school disruptions, and social disconnection were major sources of stress. High levels of perceived stress predicted worse mental health outcomes, with girls, older adolescents, and socio-economically marginalized youth experiencing more pronounced mental health deteriorations. However, social support from family and peers was a protective factor against increased stress and accompanying mental health problems. We urge policymakers and other key decision-makers to improve the availability and financing of mental health services and support programs for adolescents to address the wave of mental health challenges following the pandemic.

Adolescents' Online Connections with Friends during COVID-19: An Assessment of the Forms of Communication and Their Association with Emotional Adjustment

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent stay-at-home orders limited adolescents' ability to connect with friends in person, leading adolescents to rely on digital forms of communication to interact with friends. The present study (N = 168 adolescents ages 11-20, 51.40% female) examined the types of digital communication adolescents used to connect with friends during the pandemic stay-at-home orders and how each form of digital communication related to adolescents' emotional adjustment. The results showed texting to be the most common way adolescents connected with friends. Boys were more likely than girls to talk with friends through social gaming. Synchronous forms of communication (i.e., texting, video calls, and social gaming) were associated with reduced loneliness and depressive symptoms and higher flourishing. Connecting with friends by posting or responding on social media was not associated with adolescent well-being. These results suggest that forms of digital communication that allowed adolescents to talk with friends in real time were particularly important for adolescents' emotional well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anxiety increased among children and adolescents during pandemic-related school closures in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Considering the heterogenous evidence, a systematic review of the change in anxiety in European children and adolescents associated with the COVID-19 pandemic is lacking. We therefore assessed the change compared with pre-pandemic baselines stratified by gender and age as well as evaluated the impact of country-specific restriction policies.

METHODS

A registration on the 'International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews' (PROSPERO) occurred and an a priori protocol was published. We searched six databases (PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, WHO COVID-19) using a peer-reviewed search string with citation tracking and grey literature screening. Primary outcomes were: (1) general anxiety symptoms; and (2) clinically relevant anxiety rates. We used the Oxford COVID-19 Stringency Index as an indicator of pandemic-related restrictions. Screening of title/abstract and full text as well as assessing risk of bias (using the 'Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies of Exposure' [ROBINS-E]) and certainty of evidence (using the 'Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation' [GRADE]) was done in duplicate. We pooled data using a random effects model. Reporting is in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement.

RESULTS

Of 7,422 non-duplicate records, 18 studies with data from 752,532 pre-pandemic and 763,582 pandemic participants met full inclusion criteria. For general anxiety symptoms the total change effect estimate yielded a standardised mean difference (SMD) of 0.34 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.17-0.51) and for clinically relevant anxiety rates we observed an odds ratio of 1.08 (95%-CI, 0.98-1.19). Increase in general anxiety symptoms was highest in the 11-15 years age group. Effect estimates were higher when pandemic-related restrictions were more stringent (Oxford Stringency Index > 60: SMD, 0.52 [95%-CI, 0.30-0.73]) and when school closures (School Closure Index ≥ 2: SMD, 0.44 [95%-CI, 0.23-0.65]) occurred.

CONCLUSION

General anxiety symptoms among children and adolescents in Europe increased in a pre/during comparison of the COVID-19 pandemic; particularly for males aged 11-15 years. In periods of stringent pandemic-related restrictions and/or school closures a considerable increase in general anxiety symptoms could be documented. PROSPERO registration: CRD42022303714.

Remote learning and mental health during the societal lockdown: a study of primary school students and parents in times of COVID-19

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought challenges to families around the world. The prolonged school closures in Hong Kong have forced young students to stay at home and adapt to remote learning for over a year, putting their mental health conditions at risk. Focusing on primary school students and their parents, the main objective of our research is to investigate the socioemotional factors and their associations with mental health conditions.

METHODS

A total of 700 Hong Kong primary schoolers (mean age = 8.2) reported their emotional experiences, loneliness, and academic self-concept via a user-friendly online survey; 537 parents reported depression and anxiety, perceived child depression and anxiety, and social support. Responses from students and parents were paired to account for the family context. Structural Equation Modeling was used for correlations and regressions.

RESULTS

The results of students' responses showed that positive emotional experiences were negatively associated with loneliness and positively related to academic self-concept among students. Furthermore, the paired sample results showed that, during the one-year societal lockdown and remote learning period, the socioemotional factors were associated with mental health conditions among primary school students and their parents. Among our family sample in Hong Kong, evidence supports the unique negative association between students-reported positive emotional experiences and parents-reported child depression and anxiety, as well as between social support and parents' depression and anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings highlighted the associations between socioemotional factors and mental health among young primary schoolers during the societal lockdown. We thus call for more attention to the societal lockdown and remote learning context, especially since the social distancing practice could be "the new normal" for our society to handle the future pandemic crisis.

Loneliness and Well-Being in Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review

Concerns have been raised about the loneliness and well-being of children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The extent to which the ongoing pandemic has impacted loneliness and the association between loneliness and well-being is unclear. Therefore, a systematic review of empirical studies on the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted to examine the (1) prevalence of loneliness in children and adolescents, (2) associations between loneliness and indicators of well-being, and (3) moderators of these associations. Five databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycInfo, Web of Science, ERIC) were searched from 1 January 2020 to 28 June 2022 and 41 studies met our inclusion criteria (cross-sectional: n = 30; longitudinal: n = 11; registered on PROSPERO: CRD42022337252). Cross-sectional prevalence rates of pandemic loneliness varied, with some finding that over half of children and adolescents experienced at least moderate levels of loneliness. Longitudinal results reflected significant mean increases in loneliness compared to pre-pandemic levels. Cross-sectional results indicated that higher levels of loneliness were significantly associated with poorer well-being, including higher depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, gaming addiction, and sleep problems. Longitudinal associations between loneliness and well-being were more complex than cross-sectional associations, varying by assessment timing and factors in the statistical analyses. There was limited diversity in study designs and samples, preventing a thorough examination of moderating characteristics. Findings highlight a broader challenge with child and adolescent well-being that predates the pandemic and the need for future research to examine underrepresented populations across multiple timepoints.

Increase of depression among children and adolescents after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Research points to a high depression burden among youth during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, a lack of systematic evidence exists. We determine the change in depression symptoms among children and adolescents during COVID-19 compared to pre-pandemic baselines. By using country differences in pandemic-related restrictions and school closures in Europe as quasi-experimental design, we evaluate policy impacts on depression.

METHODS

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, following the PRISMA statement, we searched six databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central, Web of Science, WHO COVID-19) using a peer-reviewed search string up until March 18, 2022 with citation tracking and grey literature searches. No limitations regarding language and effect measures existed. We included studies that compared (1) general depression symptoms or (2) clinically relevant depression rates in children and adolescents (≤ 19 years) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe. The validated Oxford Stringency Index was used as indicator for pandemic-related restrictions. Screening for eligibility, extracting data from published reports and from unpublished data requested directly from study authors, assessing the study risk of bias and grading certainty of evidence using the GRADE approach, were all done in duplicate. Data were pooled in a random-effects model.

PROSPERO

CRD42022303714.

RESULTS

Of 7,422 nonduplicate records, 22 studies with data from 868,634 participants pre-pandemic and 807,480 during pandemic, met full inclusion criteria. For the comparison of depression symptoms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, moderate certainty of evidence was observed for general depression symptoms (standardized mean difference, 0.21 [95%CI, 0.12-0.30]; I² = 94%) and low certainty of evidence for clinically relevant depression rates (odds ratio, 1.36 [95%CI, 1.05-1.76]; I² = 95%) for total population. Increase in general depression symptoms was higher for male adolescents, whereas increase in clinically relevant depression rates was higher for females. Effect estimates were significantly higher when pandemic-related restrictions were more stringent or school closure occurred.

CONCLUSION

An increase in depression symptoms occurred in a pre-pandemic vs. during-pandemic comparison within the COVID-19 pandemic, whereby pandemic-related restrictions (such as school closures) resulted in a considerable effect increase. Ensuring adequate supply of mental health recovery services and long-term monitoring is of high public health relevance.

Mediation effects of post-series depression on the relationship between life satisfaction and positive mental health of Vietnamese: A cross-sectional study in COVID-19 pandemic context

Vietnam, a middle-income country, has been suffering four waves of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and a massive lockdown to suppress the spread of this infectious disease. Consequently, COVID-19 has caused psychological ramifications and affected humankind’s life satisfaction. Because of the lockdown period, numerous people had plentiful time. Hence, they found solace in excessive watching of television and movies, which could lead to post-series depression. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between life satisfaction (LS), post-series depression (PSD), and positive mental health (PMH) and inquire about the mediation effect of satisfaction of life and PSD. A total of 2,572 participants who were voluntarily recruited from various media platforms completed self-report questionnaires, including the Satisfaction with life scale, Post-series depression scale, and Positive Mental Health Scale. This study was assessed using the PLS-SEM approach. The findings of this research discovered (i) a significantly positive effect of LS on PMH; (ii) a significantly negative effect of PSD on PMH; (iii) a significantly negative effect of LS on PSD, and (iv) a significant indirect effect of LS on PMH through PSD. The study provided additional evidence to the relationship between life satisfaction and PMH of individuals. Besides, the negative effects of PSD, which is a non-clinical term for feeling down that frequently appears after individuals finish their much-loved film and TV series, on individuals’ PMH is proved, especially in the COVID-19 pandemic context in which Vietnamese people must remain in their current location.

So Far, So Close: Identification with Proximal and Distal Groups as a Resource in Dealing with the COVID-19 Pandemic

A robust body of research has highlighted the fundamental role of social identifications in dealing with emergencies and in predicting commitment behaviors. We report the results of two studies carried out in Italy to assess whether the subjective sense of belonging to meaningful proximal and distal social groups affected people's ability to cope with the pandemic crisis. Study 1 (N = 846) shows that different identifications with proximal (i.e., family and friends) and distal social groups (i.e., nation, European, and humankind) may act as buffers for individuals by reducing negative emotions and negative expectations about the future after COVID-19 and by increasing people's intentions to adhere to containment measures and to be involved in prosocial actions. Study 2 (N = 350) highlights the role of European identification in predicting propensities for using the tracing app and getting vaccinated. These results confirm the benefits of various types of identification (proximal vs. distant) in helping individuals deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Personal and Witnessed Cyber Victimization Experiences Among Adolescents at the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Personal experiences with cyber victimization among adolescents have been consistently associated with well-being problems. Few studies have examined the impact of witnessing cyber victimization on adolescent well-being. The current study examines adolescents' personal and witnessed experiences with cyber victimization during the beginning stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The main aim of the study is to test whether witnessing cyber victimization incidents among peers strengthens or weakens the association between personal cyber victimization incidents and adolescents' feelings of anxiety. Adolescents from the United States were recruited via social media site advertisements. An online survey was completed by 992 adolescents (M age = 16.09, SD = 1.24) from ethnically diverse backgrounds (49% White, 18% Asian/Asian-American, 14% Latinx, 9% Black/African-American, and 10% Other). The key results revealed a significant moderating role of witnessed cyber victimization incidents. Among adolescents who witnessed low levels of cyberbullying, the more they were personally cyber victimized, the higher their levels of anxiety. However, for adolescents who witnessed higher levels of cyberbullying incidents, the association between personal cyber victimization and anxiety was not significant. The findings suggest that adolescents who personally experience cyber victimization may feel less alone in their plight and thus, less anxious if they also witness others being targeted online.

Prevalence and associated factors of depressive symptoms among the young adults during the post-epidemic period - Evidence from the first wave of COVID-19 in Hubei Province, China

Introduction

China emerged from the first wave of COVID-19 in a short period of time and returned to normal economic and living order nationwide, making China's entry into the post-COVID-19 epidemic period since April 2020. However, the COVID-19 epidemic had a great impact on young adults' psychological status and may continue into the post-epidemic period. The enormous economic, employment and entrepreneurship pressures of this period may exacerbate this negative impact. This study investigated the depression status of the young adults and put forward the suggestions on how to strengthen the psychological crisis intervention and social security to cultivate the resilience of the young adults after major public health emergencies.

Methods

This study conducted a questionnaire survey to identify the prevalence of depressive symptoms and explore the associated factors of depressive symptoms among 1069 young adults in X City, Hubei province in September 2020. And the multistage stratified random sampling method was used for sampling. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 10-item version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10). Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were adopted for statistical analysis.

Results

1069 respondents (67.68% male; mean age = 28.87 ± 4.18 years; age range = 18–35 years) were included in final analyses. About 25.9% of the respondents reported depressive symptoms (CES-D-10 score = 7.28 ± 3.85). Age, marital status, employment status, monthly disposable income, the cognition, experience and social relationship of the COVID-19 epidemic, and regional discrimination were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Being male (P = 0.025), age of 25–29 years (P = 0.011), having a household size with 4–5 (P = 0.01) and more than 8 (P = 0.012) family members, a little pessimism about the prospect of COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control (P = 0.044), often (P = 0.018) or always (P = 0.009) participation in anti-epidemic volunteer work were likely to lead to depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

In the post-COVID-19 epidemic period, the psychological status of young people is generally stable, but some of them are depressed. Life, work and mental stress affect the generation of depressive symptoms among the young adults.