Understanding lockdown experience and its relationship with psychological well-being in young married adults: an exploratory study during nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Since its outbreak in December, 2019, the novel coronavirus has wreaked a havoc across the world. Stringent measures such as lockdown and self-isolation were imposed in various nations to curb the transmission of the life-threatening virus. India had been under a complete lockdown from 25th March, 2020 to 3rd May,2020, compelling its citizens to stay indoors for an unprecedented amount of time. The ‘stay at home orders’ had serious implications on the mental health of the people. In light of the on-going pandemic, the current study aims to understand the lockdown experience of young married adults and its relationship with their psychological well-being. Also, with a spike in the digital habits of young adults during the Covid-19 lockdown, we intended to explore the impact of technology on the psychological well-being of its users. A convenience sample of 140 married, young adults (20 to 40 years old), staying with their partners in different parts of the country, was selected for the study. A single administration of WHO QOL BREF and self-constructed Lockdown Experience Scale was carried out. A separate list of technology usage items was also presented to the participants. Due to lockdown, the questionnaires were administered through Google forms. Results indicate that Lockdown Experience (Quality of Partner Relationship, sharing of household responsibilities, Personal Space) correlated significantly with Psychological Well Being as well as with Technology Use. Implications and suggestions for future research have been given.