ArticleBJPsych open2023
The impact of strict lockdowns on the mental health and well-being of people living in Australia during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Article in BJPsych open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.
- Mental Health Among First-Year Students Transitioning to University in Australia: A Longitudinal Study.Psychological reports · 2026Article
- When Gig Work Gets Ruff: The Affective Benefits of Daily Human-Animal Interactions for Mental Health.International journal of psychology : Journal international de psychologie · 2026Article
- Simulating COVID-19 lockdowns' impact on depressive symptoms in the northern Netherlands.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Impact of non-pharmacological interventions on the first wave of COVID-19 in Portugal 2020.Heliyon · 2025Article
- The mental health impact of repeated COVID-19 enforced lockdowns in England: evidence from the UK Household Longitudinal Study.BJPsych open · 2025Article
- Article
- Intentions of healthcare seeking and self-isolation for MPOX among men who have sex with men in China: a national cross-sectional study.Emerging microbes & infections · 2024Article
- Digital and Hybrid Pediatric and Youth Mental Health Program Implementation Challenges During the Pandemic: Literature Review With a Knowledge Translation and Theoretical Lens Analysis.JMIR pediatrics and parenting · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThere are limited longitudinal studies on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and well-being, including the effects of imposed restrictions and lockdowns.
aimsThis study investigates how living in a pandemic, and related lockdowns and restrictions, affected the mental health of people living in Australia during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
methodA total of 875 people living in Australia participated in a longitudinal survey from 27 May to 14 December 2020. This time period includes dates that span pre-, during and post-wave 2 lockdowns in Australia, with strict and sustained public health measures. Linear mixed models were fitted to investigate the effect of lockdown on depression and anxiety symptoms.
resultsSymptoms of depression and anxiety improved over time, during and after lockdowns. More adverse mental health symptoms were observed for people with a history of medical or mental health problems, caring responsibilities, more neurotic personality traits or less conscientiousness, and for people who were younger. People who reported being more conscientious reported better mental health.
conclusionsDespite notoriously strict lockdowns, participants did not experience a deterioration of mental health over time. Results suggest a lack of significant adverse effects of lockdown restrictions on mental health and well-being. Findings highlight cohorts that could benefit from targeted mental health support and interventions, so that public policy can be better equipped to support them, particularly if future strict public health measures such as lockdowns are being considered or implemented for the COVID-19 pandemic and other disasters.
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