The mediating role of social connectedness and hope in the relationship between group membership continuity and mental health problems for vulnerable young people

Aims: The DisCOVery study sought to better understand the experiences of young people with complex emerging mental health problems over the longer-term social restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the 'social cure' theory, this study aimed to investigate the association, and potential mechanisms, of group membership continuity and reducing mental ill-health amongst vulnerable young people. Method(s): Cross-sectional survey data from a sample of 105 young people aged 16-35, collected approximately 1 year after the global COVID-19 outbreak (January-July 2021). Correlational and path analyses were used to test the associations between group membership continuity and mental health problems (depression, anxiety, psychotic-like experiences), and the mediation of these associations by hope and social connectedness (in-person and online). Results and Conclusion(s): Prior multiple group memberships were associated with the preservation of group memberships during the COVID-19 pandemic. In-person social connectedness, online social connectedness and hope mediated the relationship between group membership continuity and mental health problem symptoms. The results suggest that clinical and public health practice should support vulnerable young people to foster and maintain their social group memberships, hopefulness and perceived sense of social connectedness as a means to potentially help prevent exacerbated symptoms and promote recovery of mental health problems, particularly during significant life events.

Hope and social connectedness as intervention targets in youth mental health

The DisCOVery study sought to better understand the experiences of young people with complex emerging mental health problems over the longer-term social restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic Quantitative findings (N = 105) will be shared to demonstrated how belonging to multiple social groups can promote better mental health through the provision of hopefulness and social connectedness. Qualitative findings (N = 16) will be shared to elucidate how young people with complex emerging mental health problems experienced social connectedness during the ongoing social restrictions, and how they perceive social connection to be associated with their well-being Results also indicate young people's social preferences and the complex role of in-person versus online connection and interaction. A brief summary will be given regarding a linked trial (TOGETHER), evaluating the feasibility of delivering a social connectedness-focused intervention for young people with emerging complex mental health problems across clinical and community services in the UK.

Predictors of COVID-19 anxiety in UK university students

The current research aimed to evaluate UK student mental health during the first 4 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we were interested in exploring factors that contribute to students' anxiety levels about COVID-19. Demographics, mental health symptomatology and well-being-related variables were tested as predictors of COVID-19 anxiety. A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 1,164 UK university students (71.8% females). Measures included self-reported data on stress, social phobia, anxiety, depression, psychotic-like experiences, hopefulness, group membership, social identity, belonging, loneliness, COVID-19 related variables and demographics. The majority of participants were between 18 and 24 years old (92.2%), White British (57.9%) and in the first or second year of their course study (63.12%). A series of multiple linear regressions revealed that being female, experiencing more stress and anxiety, and greater worry about COVID-19 and its effects on social relationships were significant in explaining students' pandemic-related anxiety. Students' level of pandemic-related anxiety was independent of ethnicity, socioeconomic background and pre-existing mental health problems. Worrying about the future was the most common pandemic-related stressor, but it was not a significant predictor of COVID-19 anxiety. Our findings are in line with previous findings that females and students experiencing more stress have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings could inform the delivery of targeted stress-management interventions that might prove beneficial for student wellbeing.

Socioeconomic and gender inequalities in home learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: examining the roles of the home environment, parent supervision, and educational provisions

Objective: School closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic left millions of pupils to continue their education at home. We investigated gender and socioeconomic inequalities in pupils' home learning, and some mechanisms underlying those inequalities. Method: We analysed online survey responses from 3,167 parents collected between May and July 2020 in the UK, when most schools were closed. Results: Boys, pupils who were eligible for free school meals (FSM), pupils from families that were financially struggling, and pupils whose parents had not graduated from university were less engaged and spent less time home learning. Pupils of non-graduate parents found home learning challenging because they were less likely to have someone in their home who could supervise their work. Pupils eligible for FSM and from financially struggling families found home learning challenging because of noise, a lack of space, lack of technology and insufficient internet in their homes. The quality of educational resources schools provided positively predicted engagement and learning for all pupils. Conclusion: Pupils from lower socioeconomic status families and boys were less involved with home learning, although for different reasons. We discuss how these findings can inform policy and practice to reduce educational inequalities resulting from school closures. © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.