Stress soars among young adults and parents

THE pandemic has taken a devastating toll on the mental health of the nation, two studies revealed yesterday.

Nearly half – 41per cent – of 16 to 25-yearolds say they ‘always’ or ‘often’ feel down. The figures increase among those who are not in work, the Prince’s Trust and Tesco youth index reveals.

A separate study led by Oxford University shows parents’ mental health has suffered as they have become ‘spread thin’ during lockdown. Those looking after under-tens suffered particularly badly. Lockdowns have also taken a disproportionate toll on the employment prospects of young people.

Those who aren’t in education, employment or training, the so-called ‘Neets’, are significantly more likely to feel anxious and depressed. One in four admit they feel ‘unable to cope with life’ since the start of the pandemic, increasing to 40 per cent among Neets. Young people’s anxiety is worse than at any time in the past 12 years. Jonathan Townsend of the Prince’s Trust said: ‘Young people face a disrupted education, a shrinking jobs market and isolation from their friends and loved ones, and as a result, too many are losing all hope for the future.’

The Prince’s Trust and Tesco Youth Index, conducted by YouGov, surveyed 2,180 16 to 25-year olds across the UK.

The study led by Oxford University, which involved 12,500 parents, reveals stress, depression and anxiety have increased as each set of coronavirus restrictions have been imposed. Cathy Creswell, professor of clinical developmental psychology, said: ‘Many feel that they have been spread too thin by the demands of meeting their children’s needs during the pandemic, along with home- schooling and work commitments. We are particularly concerned about the level of strain felt by parents in lowncome families, those in single parent families, and those supporting children with special educational needs.’