A study on perceived stress among young adults during social isolation

Background: As Kolkata (metropolitan city of West Bengal, India) has gone under lockdown due to the outbreak of covid-19 since March, 2020 social distancing has become a local term. It’s been reported in news, journals and researches that there are increasing cases of stress and anxiety due to the pandemic. The World Health Organization also issued a journal “Mental health and psychosocial considerations during the COVID-19 outbreak” stating the possible increase of stress and anxiety due to the pandemic which includes social isolation, constant stream of news reports and misinformation. Aim: The objective of the study is to find and compare the perceived stress among the young adults of Kolkata during social isolation. Materials and Method: The study was conducted on the age group of 18-25-year-old (N=100) of Kolkata by using two versions of PSS Item Inventory (Perceived Stress Scale by Sheldon Cohen) -PSS 10 and PSS-14, which was emailed to them. The scores were then calculated after which the Mean and Standard Deviation was compared between males and females; students and working individuals. Results: The study shows that females have higher perceived stress than men in both of the versions of PSS (10 and 14). It was also seen that working individuals have more perceived stress than students. Conclusion: Stress among young adults is not out of the ordinary these days and with the effect of social isolation it can have a havoc on one’s mental and physical health. Some stress relieving techniques like yoga and exercise, engaging in art or a hobby, meditation, staying connected with loved ones virtually, keeping a journal can help people during isolation.