Mental Health in Spanish Emerging Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic and in the Post-Pandemic Period: A Gender Analysis

This study examined gender differences in psychological distress and well-being during four periods of the COVID-19 pandemic: lockdown, the second and third waves, the last year of the pandemic, and the post-pandemic period. A repeated cross-sectional study was conducted with a non-probability sample of 5,293 emerging adults. Women experienced greater psychological distress than men. Rates were 70.1% during the lockdown, 68.8% during the second and third waves, 58.2% during the last year of the pandemic, and 55.7% during the post-pandemic period for women, while men scored 54.7%, 53.2%, 49.8%, and 41.3%, respectively. Furthermore, women reported more negative feelings, lower affect balance, and lower self-esteem than men during the second and third pandemic waves, as well as during the post-pandemic period. For both genders, higher self-esteem, stress resilience, and social support, and fewer stressful events during the previous year, predicted lower psychological distress and greater well-being during the post-pandemic period.