Loneliness in Young Adults During the First Wave of COVID-19 Lockdown: Results From the Multicentric COMET Study

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the mental and physical health of the general population at any age, but it is expected to have a protracted and severe consequences for younger populations. The pandemic has had several consequences on mental health including anger and irritability, depressive symptoms and somatic complaints, insomnia, lack of motivation, and loneliness. In particular, loneliness and its related negative feelings are thought to be particularly pronounced during young adulthood because of the many social changes that young people deal with during this period of life. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate the type of impact of the pandemic on the mental health of young people and their levels of loneliness experienced during the first phase of the lockdown. Based on the largest Italian study on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of general population, in this paper we aim to: (1) describe the levels of loneliness in a national sample of Italian young adults aged 18–34 years, during the first wave of lockdown in 2020; (2) evaluate the clinical and socio-demographic differences in young adults reporting low vs. high levels of loneliness; (3) assess the role of clinical symptomatology, coping strategies, levels of resilience, and duration of lockdown as possible predictors of loneliness. The final sample consists of 8,584 people, mainly female (72.6%), single, with a mean age of 26.4 (±4.4) years. The mean score at the UCLA was 47.5 (±13.6), with 27% (N = 2,311) of respondents exceeding the cut-off for high levels of loneliness. High levels of loneliness were predicted by the presence of avoidant coping strategies, such as self-distraction (Beta coefficient, B = 0.369, 95% Confidence Interval, CI = 0.328–0.411), venting (B = 0.245, 95% CI = 0.197–0.293), denial (B = 0.110, 95% CI = 0.061–0.159), and emotional disengagement (B = 0.133, 95% CI = 0.080–0.185). Weeks of exposure to the pandemic were significantly associated with worsening of loneliness (p < 0.000). There is currently considerable interest in trying to reduce loneliness, both within the context of COVID-19 and more generally. Our results highlight that young people are at a higher risk of developing loneliness and suggest that more interventions and practical guidelines are needed.

COVID-19 Peritraumatic Distress and Loneliness in Chinese Residents in North America: The Role of Contraction Worry

“…During the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of loneliness has been of specific concern, as it is one of the negative consequences of social distancing and quarantine measures, such as physical distancing from close individuals, feeling alienated, and hindered access to coping mechanisms for loneliness, such as social activities [35]. In fact, studies conducted during the pandemic have suggested that there has been an increase in loneliness [36], and higher reported levels of loneliness were associated with extended exposure to the pandemic [37]. In studies examining loneliness during COVID-19, people living alone, younger adults, people with chronic illness, and economically inactive individuals reported a higher level of loneliness compared to their counterpart groups [38,39].…”

COVID-19 and Youth Psychopathological Distress in Umbria, Central Italy: A 2-Year Observational Study in a Real-World Setting

“…Therefore, having finished school, with a consequent reduction in the sense of belongingness, may have a synergistic effect with the isolation linked to the pandemic and lockdown measures themselves. Many studies reported that loneliness threatens mental health ( 7 , 62 ), leading to sleep disturbances and increased inactivity ( 63 , 64 ). Greater severity of depressive symptomatology may also had been caused by loneliness, along with poor self-perceived overall health quality, impaired functional status, and a perceived negative change in the quality of life ( 65 ).…”

“…However, the risk of developing COVID-19-related psychological distress was particularly high in vulnerable populations, such as in subjects aged 16–24 years old, who represented one of the groups most affected by the pandemic emergency ( 7 – 10 ). Lockdown measures had an unfavorable impact on adolescents and young adults, and a large amount of literature highlighted a greater risk for the occurrence of psychiatric symptoms due to a change in their lifestyles and habits ( 11 ) as well as lower levels of post-traumatic growth ( 12 ).…”

Loneliness and Satisfaction with Life among Nursing Students in Poland, Spain and Slovakia during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Although it is difficult to compare the presented results of studies from different countries due to different research methods applied and different understanding of the concept of loneliness, it can be concluded from the studies conducted in the first and second year of the COVID-19 pandemic that loneliness may become one of the most serious long-term problems related to the pandemic. Moreover, when predicting the effects of the pandemic, it should be assumed that loneliness impacts the mental, physical and social health of the entire population [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ].…”