Pandemic severely impacted young adults: Study

A new study has found that the pandemic has severely impacted people’s mental health and relationships all over the world. The third annual mental state of the world report (MSW) commissioned by Sapien Labs, a non-profit research organization, conducted a global survey to better understand mental health. The research compiled responses from over 400,000 participants across 64 countries, who were asked questions about their family relationships, friendships and overall mental well-being.
They found that there has been a little recovery in declining mental health during the pandemic. The survey found that on a 300-point scale, the average score had declined by 33 points over the past two years and remained at the same level as in 2021. It also found that young adults were more likely to have mental challenges compared with previous generations.
People aged 18 to 24 also had a lower “social self” and were three times more likely not to get along with family members, reporting higher rates of family instability and conflict. They were also more likely not to have close friends compared with those 75 and older.
The study noted, “This pattern, apparent even prior to the pandemic, represents a sharp reversal of patterns documented prior to 2010, indicating a dramatic decline in mental wellbeing with each younger generation rather than an increase in wellbeing as we age.”
The research stated that family relationships are diminishing worldwide, which could hurt a person’s mental health. People with no close friendships and poor familial relationships are 10 times more likely to experience poor mental health.
Tara Thiagarajan, founder and chief scientist at Sapien Labs, said, “These data suggest that we have not fully appreciated the profoundly relational nature of the human psyche. As much as we may believe that we are each independent, our wellbeing is profoundly relational in nature.”