Depression rates soared among young adults during Covid-19 pandemic - ESRI report

The stark impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on young adults’ mental health is revealed in a new report by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

Among 22 year-olds, it shows that about four in 10 men (40 per cent) and over half of women (55 per cent) surveyed were classified as “depressed”. These figures represent a dramatic increase from a study two years earlier, before the pandemic, which showed rates of depression for young men were 22 per cent and 31 per cent for women.

The new report says the deterioration in young adults’ mental health during the pandemic reflects the scale of disruption to their lives and the fact so many missed out on the milestones and social interactions that would normally mark their early 20s.

Emer Smyth, one of the report’s authors, said: “These findings show the stark impact of the pandemic on young adults’ mental health. They experienced massive disruption to their education, employment and day-to-day lives and their rates of depression increased as a result.”

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The study is based on data from the Growing Up in Ireland Covid-19 survey, which was conducted in December 2020 at a time when restrictions were easing, before tightening again in early 2021. The online survey was completed by more than 2,250 adults aged 22 years.

Before the pandemic, the ESRI report states that a large majority (63 per cent) of 22 year-olds were in full-time education or training. These shifted to remote learning during the lockdown period in March 2020.

The vast majority of these students had the devices needed for remote learning and online classes offered by their institutions. However, about half did not have access to adequate broadband and a quiet place to study, and less than one third received regular feedback on their work.

Most (57 per cent) found it difficult to study while learning remotely and this was linked to a greater risk of depression. In contrast, those who had more interaction with their institution, and the resources they needed to study, fared better.

Over half of those working — either full-time or while studying — when the pandemic hit lost their job.

Receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment served to shelter many young adults from financial strain following employment loss. Losing a full-time job was linked to poorer mental health, especially for young men. Young adults also reported very significant changes to their social activities during the pandemic. Over 80 per cent had less face-to-face contact with their friends than before the pandemic, even though restrictions on such contact had begun to ease at the time of the survey. Reduced contact with friends was linked to increased depression for young women.

Of those who were engaged in sports and cultural activities before the pandemic, the majority reported spending less time on these activities during the pandemic.

The factors protecting against depression were different for men and women. For men, being involved in team sports before the pandemic and confiding in a boy/girlfriend served as protective factors. For women, supportive peer relationships and positive family relationships helped protect against depression.

Anne Nolan, one of the report’s authors, said that overall, alcohol consumption during the pandemic declined among young adults but the small group who increased their consumption had poorer mental health.