COV0639 - SCAMP-COVID19: a school-based cohort study of COVID-19 secondary impacts on mental health
Lead Research Organisation:
Imperial College London
Department Name: School of Public Health
Abstract
COVID-19 poses a significant threat to health. The government-enforced public health measures, including social distancing and closure of schools and businesses, also pose other threats to the health and wellbeing of society and its social and economic infrastructure. The Study of Cognition Adolescents and Mobile Phones (SCAMP) has been studying almost 7000 adolescents (currently aged 15-17) over the past 6 years, from schools across Greater London. It collected detailed information about adolescents' mental health, their use of digital technology, as well as their lifestyle and behaviour, such as sleep and physical activity. We will investigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and public health measures on adolescent mental health and wellbeing, within the SCAMP study. We will investigate risk factors for mental health problems due to COVID-19 public health measures and their profound disruption to adolescent education and social networks and find out what factors can be changed to boost resilience. This research will investigate questions such as: whether changes in use of digital technology have a positive or negative impact on adolescent mental health; and who is most at-risk of negative outcomes, such as those experiencing more family stress, lack of access to healthy food and outdoor/green space.
Technical Summary
COVID-19 is an extraordinary public health crisis, involving unprecedented measures such as social distancing and school/business closures. These are disrupting the social and economic fabric of normal life and will likely have negative impacts on individual and population mental health.
Adolescents may be particularly susceptible to negative mental health impacts, due to (i) school closures e.g. disrupted education, decreased ability to socialise, cancellation of critical exams (GCSEs and A-Levels), and (ii) because adolescence is a transitional period of development in terms of the social environment, biological changes, and cognitive maturation. The prospective cohort Study of Cognition, Adolescents and Mobile Phones (SCAMP) (Toledano et al 2019, Int J Epidemiol), funded by DHSC, has been collecting comprehensive data on mental health, cognition, digital technology/social media use, and behaviour since 2014 in London teenagers, with 56% from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic groups. Data were collected at two time-points when participants were aged 11-12 (N=6616), and 13-15 (N=5405).
This research will gather time-critical data on adolescent mental health, cognitive function, and changes in behaviour (digital technology use, physical activity, sleep), across the pandemic period within this large well-phenotyped cohort (currently aged 15-17). It will evaluate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent mental health and explore underlying mechanisms to identify risk and resilience promoting factors. It will also examine qualitatively the nature of adolescent mental health vulnerability and need in relation to the pandemic. It will deliver critical outputs on adolescent mental health in response to the COVID-19 crisis, within the 12-month study period.
Adolescents may be particularly susceptible to negative mental health impacts, due to (i) school closures e.g. disrupted education, decreased ability to socialise, cancellation of critical exams (GCSEs and A-Levels), and (ii) because adolescence is a transitional period of development in terms of the social environment, biological changes, and cognitive maturation. The prospective cohort Study of Cognition, Adolescents and Mobile Phones (SCAMP) (Toledano et al 2019, Int J Epidemiol), funded by DHSC, has been collecting comprehensive data on mental health, cognition, digital technology/social media use, and behaviour since 2014 in London teenagers, with 56% from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic groups. Data were collected at two time-points when participants were aged 11-12 (N=6616), and 13-15 (N=5405).
This research will gather time-critical data on adolescent mental health, cognitive function, and changes in behaviour (digital technology use, physical activity, sleep), across the pandemic period within this large well-phenotyped cohort (currently aged 15-17). It will evaluate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent mental health and explore underlying mechanisms to identify risk and resilience promoting factors. It will also examine qualitatively the nature of adolescent mental health vulnerability and need in relation to the pandemic. It will deliver critical outputs on adolescent mental health in response to the COVID-19 crisis, within the 12-month study period.
| Description | We have investigated whether depression and anxiety had worsened compared to pre-pandemic and examine potential associations with sociodemographic characteristics and behavioural factors, particularly digital behaviours. Participants completed surveys between November 2016 and July 2018 and between July 2020 and June 2021. The mental health of this large sample of London adolescents significantly deteriorated during the pandemic without noticeable variations relating to public health measures. The deterioration was exacerbated in girls and those with pre-existing disrupted sleep and higher total mobile phone use. However, social media use appeared to offer some protection against developing depression during the pandemic. Our findings indicate that resources to target these modifiable factors and high-risk groups are needed. |
| Exploitation Route | The outcomes of this funding have public health implications. Worsened mental health and high proportion of clinical depression and anxiety in adolescents during the pandemic require more mental health support beyond clinical services (e.g., school-level approaches) for young people, and tailored support especially for girls. For instance, there may be some good options for girls to gain social support by connecting with their social networks via moderate use of SNS to cope with stressful situations. However, schools, parents, and adolescents should be aware of the potential adverse effects of digital technology overuse on mental health and better manage digital activities. In addition, tackling sleep problems might mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on mental health in terms of prevention and early treatment. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education,Healthcare |
| Title | Physical activity, mobility, and sleep data have been collected from a subset of SCAMP participants using Garmin watches. |
| Description | Physical activity, mobility, and sleep data have been collected from a subset of SCAMP participants using Garmin watches. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Not applicable |
| Title | Qualitative data have been collected from a subset of the SCAMP participants via focus groups. |
| Description | Qualitative data have been collected from a subset of the SCAMP participants via focus groups. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Not applicable |
| Title | Questionnaire and cognitive data have been collected from the SCAMP participants via an online platform. |
| Description | Questionnaire and cognitive data have been collected from the SCAMP participants via an online platform. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Not applicable |
| Description | Imperial Lates |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Event to showcase research going on at Imperial College London |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Noisy Cities: A mental health drawing and collage workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A PhD student was in discussion with Artist Daksha Patel, talking about the impacts environments can have upon mental health, and then expressing this artistically |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Young Persons' Advisory Group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | We have conducted Young Person's Advisory Group (YPAG) meetings, which are an official route for participant engagement and co-design in the research. These meetings have given, for example, insights into the experiences of young people during lockdown and also of their experiences since going back to school. These initial insights have been published on our website and shared on our social media channels https://www.scampstudy.org/2020/10/initial-insights-scamp-covidresearch- covid-19-affecting-adolescents-mental-health/ |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021 |