The pandemic has caused poorer mental health among young adults.
New ESRI research shows four-in-ten 22 year-old men and over half of women the same age were classified as depressed during Covid 19.
These were much higher figures than two years previously, when 22 per cent of men and 31 per cent of women were depressed.
ESRI Research Professor Emer Smith says young adults were affected by the pandemic in a number of ways.
"It's a number of factors. Those who lost full time jobs have poor mental health especially for young men.
"A very significant group find it difficult to study when they were engaged in remote learning that contributed to poor mental health.
"Also the disruptions of friendships relationships with boyfriends or girlfriends, curtailment in sports, cultural activities."
