Li Christy Lok Yan, Gutman Leslie Morrison
Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, WC1E 7HB UK.
Curr Psychol. 2023 Apr 11:1-11. doi: 10.1007/s12144-023-04580-7.
Current research indicates that young adults are at a higher risk of deteriorating wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to older adults. Drawing upon the Understanding Society COVID-19 survey, this study examined the trajectory of life satisfaction in UK emerging adults from May 2020 to September 2021 with social, health, financial, and demographic factors as covariates. The analytic sample included 880 participants (612 females, 268 males) between the ages of 18-29. Growth curve modelling was used to estimate the trajectory of life satisfaction and examine whether the covariates account for variation in the mean level and/or slopes. The trajectory of life satisfaction declined slightly between May 2020 and January 2021 and then increased to September 2021, aligning with the tightening and easing of UK COVID-19 policies. Greater perceived current financial difficulties, pre-existing mental health and physical health conditions, and higher self-reported loneliness were associated with lower life satisfaction. Being female and living with a romantic partner, more face-to-face social interactions, and higher household income were associated with more life satisfaction. Gender interacted with pre-existing mental health conditions. Women with no pre-existing mental health conditions reported the highest level of life satisfaction, while women with pre-existing mental health conditions reported the lowest level, compared to men who reported a similar level of life satisfaction regardless of their mental health. The findings from the present study contribute toward the current understanding of changes in life satisfaction throughout the pandemic among emerging adults. Implications for intervention are discussed.
当前研究表明，与老年人相比，在新冠疫情期间，年轻人的幸福感恶化风险更高。本研究利用“理解社会”新冠疫情调查，以社会、健康、财务和人口因素作为协变量，考察了2020年5月至2021年9月英国新兴成年人生活满意度的轨迹。分析样本包括880名年龄在18至29岁之间的参与者（612名女性，268名男性）。采用增长曲线模型来估计生活满意度的轨迹，并检验协变量是否能解释平均水平和/或斜率的变化。生活满意度轨迹在2020年5月至2021年1月间略有下降，然后在2021年9月有所上升，这与英国新冠疫情政策的收紧和放宽相一致。更高的当前财务困难感知、既往心理健康和身体健康状况以及更高的自我报告孤独感与更低的生活满意度相关。女性、与浪漫伴侣同住、更多的面对面社交互动以及更高的家庭收入与更高的生活满意度相关。性别与既往心理健康状况存在交互作用。与无论心理健康状况如何生活满意度水平相似的男性相比，既往无心理健康状况的女性报告的生活满意度最高，而既往有心理健康状况的女性报告的生活满意度最低。本研究结果有助于当前对疫情期间新兴成年人生活满意度变化的理解。并讨论了干预的意义。
