Social isolation, mental health, and use of digital interventions in youth during the COVID-19 pandemic

• Verfasst von: Rauschenberg, Christian [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Schick, Anita [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Goetzl, Christian [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Röhr, Susanne [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Riedel-Heller, Steffi G. [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Koppe, Georgia [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Durstewitz, Daniel [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Krumm, Silvia [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Reininghaus, Ulrich [VerfasserIn]
• Titel: Social isolation, mental health, and use of digital interventions in youth during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Titelzusatz: a nationally representative survey
• Verf.angabe: Christian Rauschenberg, Anita Schick, Christian Goetzl, Susanne Roehr, Steffi G. Riedel-Heller, Georgia Koppe, Daniel Durstewitz, Silvia Krumm and Ulrich Reininghaus
• E-Jahr: 2021
• Jahr: 09 March 2021
• Umfang: 16 S.
• Fussnoten: Gesehen am 27.07.2021
• Titel Quelle: Enthalten in: European psychiatry
• Ort Quelle: Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 1991
• Jahr Quelle: 2021
• Band/Heft Quelle: 64(2021), 1, Artikel-ID e20, Seite 1-16
• ISSN Quelle: 1778-3585
• DOI: doi:10.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.17
• Datenträger: Online-Ressource
• Sprache: eng
• Sach-SW: COVID-19
• Sach-SW: mHealth
• Sach-SW: Social isolation
• Sach-SW: Social risk
• Sach-SW: Youth mental health
• K10plus-PPN: 1764617924

Abstract

Background - Public health measures to curb SARS-CoV-2 transmission rates may have negative psychosocial consequences in youth. Digital interventions may help to mitigate these effects. We investigated the associations between social isolation, COVID-19-related cognitive preoccupation, worries, and anxiety, objective social risk indicators, and psychological distress, as well as use of, and attitude toward, mobile health (mHealth) interventions in youth. Methods - Data were collected as part of the “Mental Health And Innovation During COVID-19 Survey”—a cross-sectional panel study including a representative sample of individuals aged 16-25 years (N = 666; Mage = 21.3; assessment period: May 5, 2020 to May 16, 2020). Results - Overall, 38% of youth met criteria for moderate or severe psychological distress. Social isolation worries and anxiety, and objective risk indicators were associated with psychological distress, with evidence of dose-response relationships for some of these associations. For instance, psychological distress was progressively more likely to occur as levels of social isolation increased (reporting “never” as reference group: “occasionally”: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 9.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.3-19.1, p < 0.001; “often”: aOR 22.2, CI 9.8-50.2, p < 0.001; “very often”: aOR 42.3, CI 14.1-126.8, p < 0.001). There was evidence that psychological distress, worries, and anxiety were associated with a positive attitude toward using mHealth interventions, whereas psychological distress, worries, and anxiety were associated with actual use. Conclusions - Public health measures during pandemics may be associated with poor mental health outcomes in youth. Evidence-based digital interventions may help mitigate the negative psychosocial impact without risk of viral infection given there is an objective need and subjective demand.