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Probably more severe depressive symptoms in corona pandemic

Several studies are currently dealing with mental wellbeing in the corona crisis. According to the first results of a project by the Private University of Göttingen, young people in particular are under heavy strain.

According to initial results of an online survey, the burden of severe depressive symptoms in the population has increased noticeably during the corona-related restrictions. Youssef Shiban, professor of clinical psychology at the Private University of Göttingen (PFH), said that the group of 18- to 25-year-olds saw an increase compared to the time before the pandemic.

This is also of concern because the search for a psychotherapy place was associated with significant waiting times even before the Corona crisis.

A similar trend to depression is emerging for other disorders, according to Shiban. In eating disorders, for example, there is a clear increase in moderate and severe symptom burden.

So far, around 2000 people have taken part in the survey online. A comparison between federal states as well as with Norway and Canada is planned. Cooperation partners are the University of Regensburg, the Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences and Carleton University in Ottawa. The scientists use the so-called ISR questionnaire – an instrument that is used to record symptoms of mental disorders.

According to the ISR’s norm sample, a 1 percent share of severe depression in the general population would be expected, Shiban said. “In our study, on the other hand, we were able to observe a proportion of severe depression of five percent.”

There are indications that such effects of quarantine measures could persist in the longer term. Numerous studies such as the “COSMO” project (www.corona-monitor.de) examine, among other things, the psychological well-being of people during the corona pandemic. At the end of May, 40.4 percent of those surveyed for “COSMO” found their personal situation stressful. 22.6 felt lonely. Young people and singles in particular described themselves as lonely – and according to the researchers, loneliness goes hand in hand with “considerable health risks”.

In addition, more than one in three complained of low social support – in 2012, according to a representative study, only 17 percent did so. The scientists suspect that the background could be the contact restrictions.

The “COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring” (“COSMO”) is a joint project of the University of Erfurt, Robert Koch Institute, Federal Center for Health Education, Leibniz Center for Psychological Information and Documentation, Science Media Center, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine and Yale Institute for Global Health. (dpa)

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