Effect of Lockdown due to COVID-19 on Psychological Health of Young Adults- A Survey Report

Abstract

Background- Uncertainties are prevailing duringunprecedented COVID-19 outbreak time affecting higher studies/careers of undergraduate and graduate students. Aims- To identify symptoms of psychological problems existing in young adults in general and also, the effect of forced quarantine due to COVID-19lockdowns on their psychological behaviour. Setting and Design- A cross-sectional study through an online survey using 17+extended English version of the Strength and Difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) to measure effect of lock down / forced quarantine on psychological behaviour of young adults in India at the time of pandemic. Methods and Material- Survey was carried in the months of May-June 2020 among college/university students and 1020 responses were obtained. Absolute and relative frequency distributions are computed.Scores of the five SDQ scales, difficulty scores and impact score are compared gender wise. Statistical analysis-The effects of gender and chronicity are tested using permutation test. Chi square tests of goodness of fit and independent attributes are applied. Results and Conclusions- The 16.93%, 14.38 %,3.94 %,16.07 % of respondentsare under significant risk categories for Emotional, Conduct, Hyperactivity, and Peer problem scalesrespectively.Except for Prosocial scale, there is no effect of gender on other scales as the p value is greater than 0.05. There is significant difference in observed numbers under all categories from the expected SDQ standards on 877 distressed respondents as p value < 0.001. Irrespective of gender, the prolonged lockdown due to COVID-19 is affecting psychological behaviour of young adults.