The longitudinal effect of COVID-19 infections and lockdown on mental health and the protective effect of neighbourhood social relations

O’Donnell, James P.; Cárdenas, Diana; Orazani, Nima; Evans, Ann; Reynolds, Katherine J.

doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114821

Cited by 31 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 53 publications

(65 reference statements)

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“…Groups 4 Health; Haslam, Cruwys, Haslam, Dingle, & Chang, 2016) but less formalised strategies also have a role to play (e.g. Dingle et al, 2019; Fong et al, 2021; O'Donell, Cárdenas, Orazani, Evans and Reynolds, 2022). This is also an area where “wise interventions” (Walton, 2014), designed to address the complex and multifaceted contexts that lead to loneliness, might be effective in producing meaningful improvement in outcomes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Identities Mediate the Relationship Between Isolation, Life Transitions, and Loneliness

et al. 2022

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Research has demonstrated that life transitions lead to heightened experiences of loneliness, in part because they engender isolation. We tested whether the degree of isolation during a transition influences loneliness, and if this is due to their effects on social identity processes. Employing an experimental paradigm, Study 1 (N = 213) found that when the transition involved isolation from new networks, in this case studying at university online as opposed to in person, it led to more loneliness, and this was mediated through reduced social identification and continuity of group memberships. Study 2 (N = 215) replicated these effects using a different experimental paradigm in which the transition involved isolation from old group memberships, namely moving to a new neighbourhood from interstate. Study 3 (N = 2346) employed a quasi-experimental repeated-measures design to assess the impact of a highly isolating life transition on loneliness–COVID lockdown. Australians in prolonged lockdown experienced increases in loneliness and this was mediated through (lack of) continuity of group memberships. Overall, these results suggest that isolation needs to be considered when assessing the impact of life transitions on loneliness. Moreover, the mediation results indicate that isolating transitions may be responsible for loneliness because these make it difficult to maintain crucial group memberships and form a sense of identification with relevant new groups.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Identities Mediate the Relationship Between Isolation, Life Transitions, and Loneliness

et al. 2022

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“…A potential driver of these effects is family altruism, which varies across intrinsic characteristics and living arrangements, including conscientiousness personality traits, pro-family attitudes, and specific family structures. A growing scientific literature has examined how COVID-19 lockdown policies affect population health ( Jain and Dupas, 2022 ; O'Donnell et al, 2022 ; Qi et al, 2022 ; Sachser et al, 2021 ). Lockdown, which is among the toughest measures of closure policies, had only been temporarily adopted by governments.…”

Section: Concluding Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Men smoke less under the COVID-19 closure policies: The role of altruism

Cai

Zhou²

2022

Social Science & Medicine

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“…Repeated crosssectional as well as longitudinal studies from overseas that tracked mental health during the different stages of the pandemic confirm that poor mental health and anxiety was highest in the first few months of March and April but then, on average recovered (Aknin et al 2021;Daly & Robinson 2021. In Australia, a longitudinal survey of mental health conducted during three periods between May and October 2020 also found that anxiety and depressive symptoms were highest in the earliest period of May 2020 (O'Donnell et al 2022).…”

Section: First Stage Of the Pandemic: High Uncertaintymentioning

confidence: 97%

Having babies in times of uncertainty: first results of the impact of COVID-19 on the number of babies born in Australia

2022

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Background There has been considerable speculation on whether the COVID-19 pandemic had an effect on childbearing behaviour. Based on the experience of other social and economic disruptions, many researchers suggested that births would decline, while others argued that there could be a positive effect. Aims This paper considers the uncertainties associated with the impacts of COVID-19, particularly the relationship between the timing of COVID-19 events and subsequent births. Data and methods Publicly available birth data from birth registers, perinatal databases, and public hospital data were compiled and analysed to document changes in numbers and patterns of recorded births during 2020 and 2021. Results Births declined in 2020 but then rebounded in 2021. Quarterly birth data from New South Wales and Western Australia suggest that the sharpest drop in conceptions occurred in the January-March 2020 quarter. This coincided with the period when the pandemic was first taking off and when uncertainty about the future was at its highest. Conclusions The uncertainty associated with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic had a noticeable impact on births in 2020. It also shows, where data is available, that this impact was relatively short-lived, and births rebounded in 2021. We note that data is still sparse for Victoria, a state which was substantially more affected by lockdowns.

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The longitudinal effect of COVID-19 infections and lockdown on mental health and the protective effect of neighbourhood social relations

Cited by 31 publications

References 53 publications

Social Identities Mediate the Relationship Between Isolation, Life Transitions, and Loneliness

Social Identities Mediate the Relationship Between Isolation, Life Transitions, and Loneliness

Men smoke less under the COVID-19 closure policies: The role of altruism

Having babies in times of uncertainty: first results of the impact of COVID-19 on the number of babies born in Australia

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