Young adults' personal concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic in Finland : an issue for social concern

Abstract

Purpose – This study focuses on how young adults face the COVID-19 pandemic by investigating their personal concerns about mental well-being, career/studies and economic situation. The authors investigated how young adults’ (aged 18–29) personal concerns differ from older people’s concerns (aged 30–65) and which person- and context-related antecedents relate to personal concerns. Design/methodology/approach – Data of Finnish young adults aged 18–29 (n 5 222), who participated in the “Corona Consumers” survey (N 5 1,000) in April 2020, were analyzed by path analysis and compared to participants aged 30–65 by independent samples t-test. Findings – Young adults were significantly more concerned about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on their mental well-being, career/studies and economic situation than older people. Females were more concerned about their mental well-being than males. Among youth, lower life satisfaction was related to concerns about mental well-being, and lower satisfaction with financial situation was related to concerns about career/studies and economic situation. Young adults’ predisposition to avoid difficult situations was related to more frequent concerns in all domains, whereas generalized trust and education were not. Research limitations/implications – Due to cross-sectional data, causal COVID-19 interpretations should be made cautiously. Practical implications – Strong youth policies are needed for youth empowerment, mental health and career advancement in the pandemic aftermath. Originality/value – The study highlights the inequality of the effects of COVID-19: The pandemic has radically influenced young adults as they exhibit significant personal concerns in age-related life domains.