Oxford University to assess impact of pandemic on young minds
Netty Wendt
Oxford University is seeking to assess the impact of COVID-19 and it’s associated social policies on the minds of young people. A survey called Co-SPACE(COVID-19 Supporting Parents, Adolescents, and Children in Epidemics) has been launched to track the impact of of the crisis on the young, and identify appropriate advice and support to protect their mental health.
The rapidly changing and unstable mental landscape in the wake of the pandemic includes uncharted pressures on young people’s social lives, daily routines, access to education, and all the associated strain of families spending extended time together in an atmosphere of constraint.
Professor Cathy Creswell said “Research has provided valuable information about how parents and carers can support their children’s mental health in general. However, at this point, we know very little about what might be most effective in the current context of COVID-19.
We hope to have more than 10,000 parents and carers across the UK complete the new online survey. Their responses will help us really understand how families are coping and what support could make all the difference to children, young people and their families at this time.”
People will be invited to complete a 30 minute online weekly questionnaire, answering questions on coping strategies, relationships, psychological symptoms and general well-being.
Participants will subsequently be asked to complete questionnaires on a fortnightly, then monthly basis until schools reopen.
