Survey to probe effect of pandemic on adolescents and young adults

A new research project out of the University of Windsor and Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare is looking into the toll the pandemic has taken on adolescents transitioning to adulthood.

“Adolescence and young adulthood are already known to be high-risk periods for the emergence of mental health issues,” said Lindsey Jaber, a professor in the Faculty of Education who is leading the study.

“The overarching goal of this project is to gain a deeper understanding of how transitional-aged youth are coping and navigating through an already turbulent developmental period during and following a time of global crisis.”

Dr. Jaber, who specializes in educational psychology, has received a $25,000 grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada to conduct the study. She is working with UWindsor alumna Jennifer Voth (MA 2007, PhD 2013), a research associate at Hôtel-Dieu Grace and adjunct professor in kinesiology. Jesse Scott, an undergraduate student in psychology, is managing the project. Graduate and other undergraduate students will also help conduct the research.

The team is recruiting participants aged 18 to 24 to share their experiences via an online survey, which will take 20 minutes or less to complete. Participants can volunteer for an optional follow-up interview.

The survey will ask questions that delve into the participants’ general well-being and the effect restrictions and disruptions related to the pandemic have had on their lives. It will also probe what help, if any, partijavascript:void(0);cipants seek for mental health challenges.

Respondents who complete the survey will get a chance to win one of 15 Amazon gift cards.

“There’s a lack of evidence associated with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and well-being of youth in Ontario demonstrating a clear need for gathering and collecting a high-quality evidence base that can be translated into practice,” Jaber said.

“We aim to apply this information in meaningful ways, such as identifying unmet needs in current mental health services to strengthen help-seeking behaviours and serve young people in the community better.”

To participate or learn more about the study, follow this link to visit the survey page.

Courtesy: https://www.uwindsor.ca/dailynews/2022-03-11/survey-probe-effect-pandemic-adolescents-and-young-adults