Why did we do this research?

We wanted to learn how young people with disabling mental health conditions were doing, especially as they dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study had 2 phases.

• The first was a national online survey of young adults about their personal experiences, emotional wellness, physical health, and what they were doing to stay well during the pandemic.
• The second is a longitudinal qualitative research study to understand these youths’ lived experiences of disrupted milestones, the impact of these disruptions, and their resiliency. 

What questions did we propose to answer?

For the national web survey  

• ​How are young people with mental health conditions dealing with the pandemic? 
• How has the pandemic interfered with the things they want to be doing?​ 
• What are their strengths & what new things have they learned?
• What needs & barriers are they facing in trying to get help or treatment?
• How is their physical health? 
  

For the longitudinal qualitative interviews  

• How do young people with mental health conditions experience disrupted milestones & how does this change over time?
• ​What changes in health, well-being, & mental health do they describe with their disrupted milestones? 
• ​What personal agency, strengths, & coping strategies are they using to get their lives back on-track & how do these change over time? 

Who is running the study?

This project is a collaboration with the Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research at the UMass Chan Medical School.

Who participated?

967 young adults completed our national web survey. 20 young adults participated in the qualitative interviews. 

What has the study found?

 Take a look at the ground-breaking findings from our national web survey!

What if I need help?

 
Our Center’s COVID-19 Wellness Toolkit
 
UMass Transitions ACR’s COVID-19 Resources for Young Adults

We understand that this continues to be a difficult time for many people. If you would like someone to talk with, all U.S. states offer Warm Lines operated by trained staff.
​Find a warm line.
 
If you or someone you know is in crisis, you can call or text 988 for help 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. For Spanish, text “Ayuda” to 988.​