Youth Depression and Anxiety During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Principal investigator: Dr Katherine Young & Dr Colette Hirsch

Location: UK

Funding Period: 2021-2023

The COVID-19 Pandemic is placing immense pressure on all of us, and those whose mental health is particularly affected are young people and those who are in vulnerable categories.

The project

We are already seeing that the stress of the pandemic is having a particularly large impact on the mental health of young people (aged 16-24).

Stress and uncertainty around education and employment prospects and reduced social support from peers are added to existing higher levels of depression and anxiety in this age group.

This study aims to improve our understanding of what the full impact is of the pandemic on the mental health and long-term wellbeing of young people.

New milestones were set when Prof Hirsch took over the funding in 2022, specifically the focus shifted to the development of an online app called Shift Focus Training. The team recognised that from the findings of the study so far, there were significant barriers young people faced in accessing mental health care. They found that many young people were turning to digital interventions but that many of these were not evidence based.

The process

Using the COVID-19 pandemic as a stressor this study will monitor how symptoms of anxiety and depression change in young people over a period of two years, and examine whether these changes can be used to predict those who will go on to experience longer term issues.

Though repeated online questionnaires, this study will reach over 3500 young people. Additionally data will be analysed from existing research projects: The ‘Repeated Assessment of Mental health in Pandemics’ (RAMP) study and the ‘COVID-19 Psychiatry and Neurological Genetics (COPING) study.

The longitudinal design of these studies allows powerful assessment of changes in symptoms over time as well as the role of modifiable risk factors and long-term mental health outcomes.

The team co-designed an accessible online app, Shift Focus Training, to help young people manage uncontrollable worry. The intervention was developed in close collaboration with young people from diverse backgrounds, ensuring it was engaging and relevant. The study recruited 110 high-worriers, who were randomised to either the Shift Focus Training or a control group, with outcomes measured over eight weeks.

The outcome

The Shift Focus Training app was found to significantly reduced repetitive negative thinking (RNT) and improved the ability to shift focus away from worry at both follow-ups.It was found to reduce symptoms of anxiety and stress, although there was no significant reduction in feelings of low mood.

The young people who were interviewed following the trial gave positive feedback.

Papers published

Young KS, Purves KL, Hübel C, et al. Depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. Psychological Medicine.

The impact

Direct Benefit to Young People: The Shift Focus app offers a practical, low-cost, and scalable tool for managing worry, particularly during stressful periods such as exams, transitions, or when facing ongoing anxiety. By equipping young people with techniques to shift away from worrying thoughts, the app can help improve concentration, sleep, and overall wellbeing.

While designed for 16–25-year-olds, the app could be adapted for older adults or used in healthcare settings where worry is prevalent, such as during diagnosis or treatment of physical illnesses.

Dr Katherine Young & Dr Colette Hirsch

This project was started by MQ Fellow Dr Katherine Young from Kings College London. Thanks to this investment from MQ, Katherine was able to secure herself a full time position outside of the University and so handed the study over to Dr Colette Hirsch.

Dr Colette Hirsch is a senior lecture in the Psychology department at Kings College London and a Reader in Cognitive Clinical Psychology and Consultant Clinical Psychologist leading the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Service at the Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma at the South London Maudsley NHS Trust.