Table 1.
Sample characteristics including sociodemographics, pandemic-related factors as well as pre- and mid-pandemic psychological distress and wellbeing for NSPN 2400 cohort participants who took part in all four assessments including the most recent follow-up in May 2020.
| NSPN 2400 cohort sub-sample (n = 737) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| M (SD) | Mdn (IQR) | N (%) | |
| Sociodemographic factors | |||
| Age (in years) | 25.6 (3.2) | 25.0 (23.0–28.0) | – |
| Sex | |||
| Female | – | – | 482 (65.4) |
| Male | – | – | 255 (34.6) |
| Educationa | |||
| Below level 4 qualifications (e.g., GCSEs, A-levels) | – | – | 192 (26.1) |
| Level 4+ qualifications (e.g., BA, MA, PhD) | – | – | 542 (73.5) |
| Ethnicity | |||
| White | – | – | 583 (79.1) |
| Non-white | – | – | 154 (20.9) |
| Index of multiple deprivation (IMD; decile)b | 6.6 (2.7) | 7.0 (4.0–9.0) | – |
| Pandemic-related factors | |||
| Pre-existing health conditions | |||
| Yes | – | – | 165 (22.3) |
| No | – | – | 569 (77.2) |
| Living situation | |||
| Alone | – | – | 43 (5.8) |
| With others (e.g., family, friends) | – | – | 669 (90.8) |
| Self-isolationc | |||
| Yes | – | – | 58 (7.9) |
| No | – | – | 654 (88.7) |
| Childcare commitments | |||
| Yes | – | – | 70 (9.5) |
| No | – | – | 642 (87.1) |
| Pandemic-related adverse experience | |||
| Yes (e.g., loss of job or income, loss of loved one) | – | – | 243 (33.0) |
| No | – | – | 469 (63.6) |
| Psychological distress and wellbeing | |||
| Kessler Psychological Distress Scale | |||
| Pre-pandemic (assessment 1) | 6.0 (4.6) | 5.0 (3.0–8.0) | – |
| During pandemic (assessment 4) | 6.9 (4.6) | 6.0 (3.0–10.0) | – |
| Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale | |||
| Pre-pandemic (assessment 1) | 22.1 (4.1) | 21·5 (19.3—35.0) | – |
| During pandemic (assessment 4) | 21.4 (3.4) | 21·5 (19.3—32.6) | – |
aQualification levels were assessed as in the census for England & Wales (2011) where Level 4 and above includes at least at least a first degree (or equivalent) and, at most, a doctoral degree such as a PhD.
bIndex of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) was assessed based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2015) whereas the lowest decile refers to the most deprived 10% of areas in England.
cSelf-isolation was defined as present for anyone not leaving the house for at least 7 days. Missing data: education (n = 3), IMD (n = 10), pre-existing health conditions (n = 3), living situation (n = 25), self-isolation (n = 25), childcare commitments (n = 25), pandemic-related adverse experience (n = 25), Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6; n = 6 for pre-pandemic, n = 13 for during pandemic), Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWMEBWS; n = 10 for pre-pandemic, n = 26 for during pandemic).