Longitudinal changes in psychological distress in the UK from 2019 to September 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from a large nationally representative study

Michael Daly; Eric Robinson

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2021.113920

Longitudinal changes in psychological distress in the UK from 2019 to September 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from a large nationally representative study

Psychiatry Res. 2021 Jun:300:113920. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2021.113920. Epub 2021 Apr 2.

Authors

Michael Daly¹, Eric Robinson²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, Maynooth University, Co. Kildare, Ireland. Electronic address: Michael.A.Daly@mu.ie.
² Institute of Population Health Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom. Electronic address: eric.robinson@liverpool.ac.uk.

Abstract

In a large (n=10918), national, longitudinal probability-based sample of UK adults the prevalence of clinically significant psychological distress rose from prepandemic levels of 20.8% in 2019 to 29.5% in April 2020 and then declined significantly to prepandemic levels by September (20.8%). Longitudinal analyses showed that all demographic groups examined (age, sex, race/ethnicity, income) experienced increases in distress after the onset of the pandemic followed by significant decreases. By September 2020 distress levels were indistinguishable from prepandemic levels for all groups. This recovery may reflect the influence of the easing of restrictions and psychological adaptation to the demands of the pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; Nationally representative study; Psychological distress.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adaptation, Psychological / physiology*
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
COVID-19 / psychology*
Female
Health Surveys
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Pandemics
Prevalence
Psychological Distress*
Sampling Studies
Stress, Psychological / epidemiology*
United Kingdom / epidemiology
Young Adult