by Van T. Nguyen
It has been roughly one year since The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic, which raised concerns that prompted countries worldwide to take precautionary measures. Citizens had been encouraged to socially distance themselves, wash their hands, wear masks, limit social gatherings, and stay home if their circumstances allowed. One of the main concerns was figuring out how to ensure the safety of students and school staff. In response to this threat, millions of schools worldwide decided to close their doors and transition to distance learning for the remainder of 2020, and some still are closed currently. While the change was needed, it’s important to realize that schools not only provide students with an education but also financial resources, emotional support, and an opportunity for students to interact with their peers. Students who relied on schools for these reasons might struggle to adjust to the new reality and encounter difficulties affecting their health. For adolescents, social interactions are critical during their developmental period. But how does the pandemic affect adolescents psychologically, socially, and physically?
Before discussing the impact stay-at-home orders and distance learning had on adolescents, it’s necessary to learn about the definition and significance of the term. Adolescence is the period of transition from childhood to adulthood, where adolescents undergo physical and psychological changes. According to Katie Silver, a health and science journalist for BBC News, some people commonly refer to children in the 10-19 age range as adolescents, while others consider adolescence to be the period between 10-24 years (Silver). During this period, adolescents begin to change physically in adherence to their age and gender, explore their interests, learn to communicate with those around them, and find their identity. A fundamental part of adolescence is social interactions as it helps them practice and refine their social skills. Interactions with peers also “serve as a social ‘stepping stone’ as adolescents move away from their emotional dependence upon their parents and toward autonomous functioning as an adult” (Welsh and Bierman 598). This take on peer interactions highlights its importance and gives us an idea of what is at stake: A disruption in adolescents’ path to adulthood. The benefits that peer interactions bring to adolescents is why many experts worry about the effect social isolation will have on them as time progresses.
Many research and scholarly articles on the effects the pandemic had on adolescents have been published. These articles showed and show that experts do have a reason to worry. A study by researchers from the Macquarie University is one of them and explains the impact briefly. Participants of this study consisted of 122 boys and 126 girls between the ages of 13-16 years old. The results found that life satisfaction decreased in adolescents, while depressive and anxiety symptoms increased (Magson et al.). The pandemic has caused many changes in their lives, and the mental toll this will have on them is high and raises the risk for future health problems. In a way, these data confirmed what is known about adolescents deprived of social interaction. They thrive on interaction with their peers, but these restrictions are interfering with their development.
Interestingly enough, the study noted that girls show more symptoms of anxiety and depression than boys but explained that girls rely on their friends more than boys do. But regardless of genders, the study concludes that “adolescents’ greatest concern during the COVID-19 lockdown was not being able to see their friends” (Magson et al.). Friendships have a significant influence on adolescents, and this study has shown so. The effect of placing restrictions on their social lives—as ─a huge part of adolescence—we─will generate negative and long-term consequences. Adolescents are not used to nor want to have restrictions placed on their lives, inhibiting their ability to make choices for themselves. Doing so forces changes in their daily habits, which can create immense stress on their part.
The restrictions placed on social gatherings also make it difficult for adolescents to interact with their friends physically. During this sensitive time, they have a few options to communicate with their friends: social media and online chat services. These services are beneficial during a pandemic where social gatherings are discouraged. Even so, these options have flaws that can further cause harm to adolescents’ wellbeing. A study by Ellis et al., professors from the University of Western Ontario, explains the kind of harm social media brings. In a survey that consisted of 1,054 high school students aged 14-18 years old, participants answered questions about their use of social media and their adjustment to the pandemic. The results showed that social media use increased during the pandemic. Adolescents who spend more time on social media exhibit depressive symptoms but lower levels of loneliness (Ellis et al. 183). It is surprising for depressive symptoms to increase with the use of social media and not the feeling of loneliness, but there are reasons for this scenario. One reason is that “depressed teens may interact differently with their peers than less depressed teens'' (Ellis et al. 183). The results of this study are similar to that by Magson et al. and further reaffirms the results. Although social media use contributes to the increase in depressive symptoms, it does allow adolescents to stay connected and feel less lonely. H; however, this does not mean adolescents should rely entirely on social media to help them cope during the pandemic. Virtual communication is not the same as physical interaction, but it has made it possible for users to stay connected. Peer interactions, regardless of methods, can help adolescents feel less lonely and more connected with their peers.
Adolescents exhibiting depressive symptoms are vulnerable and can react strongly to harmful online activity, such as online bullying. Restrictions and school closures have caused increased screen time in children and adolescents alike. Aside from health problems associated with screen time, such as eye strain, online platforms can act as the “hunting grounds” for those targeting vulnerable children. Charlotte Aynsley, a safeguarding advisor at Impero, explains in detail the threat of social media use in her article, “Tackling online bullying during the pandemic.” Impero has found, through their research, that 44% of children reported being bullied online during the last six months. And according to them, those cyberbullied “were left with mental health issues including depression (52 percent) feeling humiliated (46 percent) scared (42 percent) lonely (42 percent) and having suicidal thoughts (12 percent)” (qtd in Aynsley 23). The statistics from this research reveal serious problems that can cause long-term effects in adolescents. Although cyberbullying has been around for years, school closures can aggravate the situation because access to mental health resources is limited. Students can also have a hard time confiding in adults about being victims of cyberbullying when they are stuck at home. Undesirable psychological effects in adolescents are inevitable during and after the pandemic ends.
Other than psychological and social impacts on adolescents, school closures are also affecting their physical health. School provides students with an opportunity to exercise, and one of the methods is by requiring students to take Physical Education to be eligible for graduation. But with school closed, extracurricular activities, such as football, are almost impossible for students to participate in without putting themselves and others at risk. A study in the article, “Early effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity and sedentary behavior in children living in the U.S.,” assesses this situation. Parents of children ages 5-13 years old completed surveys that asked questions about their child's physical activity and sedentary behavior. The study revealed that children engaged in less physical activity but more sedentary behavior, such as screen time (Dunton et al. 10). Unsurprisingly, online learning is causing students to stare at screens for hours, and combine with social isolation, increases their use of screen time. Interactions through technology are becoming more common as the pandemic continues and would make it difficult for adolescents to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. The opportunities for adolescents to participate in physical activities that they otherwise would in school are greatly limited during the pandemic.
Despite the stress the pandemic has caused adolescents, there are some positive outcomes. I have been focusing on the negative aspects of the pandemic, but through my research have learned that school closures do have rewarding outcomes. Sleep deprivation is common in high school students, but distance learning has changed their sleep schedules. An example is in the article, “The impact of COVID-19 related school shutdown on sleep in adolescents: a natural experiment.” Research assistants of this study interviewed 45 high schoolers about the changes in their sleep schedules. The results concluded, “the COVID-19 pandemic led to a 2-h shift in the sleep of typically developing adolescents, longer sleep duration, improved sleep quality, and less daytime sleepiness compared to those experienced under the regular school-time schedule” (Gruber et al.). From this study, we could see that high school students are getting more sleep, and thus positively affecting their daytime performance. In fact, sleep quality leads to better moods, less stress, and a healthier body. Though this study helped provide a new perspective of the pandemic, it lacked representations from boys and diversity, limiting our understanding of how the pandemic affected their sleep schedules. Despite a lack of study on this subject, we can infer that the pandemic has helped improve some adolescents' sleep schedules.
Besides improved sleep quality, other positive outcomes have arisen from the pandemic. A section in an article by Fegert et al., specialists in children and adolescents psychiatry, has examples of these positive outcomes. One example is family members whose jobs require them to work for extended periods now have the option to work from home, which can help alleviate their stress levels and improve their family life (Fegert et al.). Many businesses and companies had their employees work from home to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and so it creates a chance for families to grow closer. The study conducted by Ellis et al. has similar results. “More time interacting with parents and siblings face-to-face and family via video messaging was related to less loneliness and less depression” (7). In the long run, it would be good to create a relaxing environment at home since parents and their children will see each other daily. For some students whose parents work all day, family time is not a common occurrence, so working from home can serve as an opportunity for bonding.
On the other hand, the pandemic can make it worse for adolescents living in an abusive environment. Those living in this environment are exposed to physical and emotional abuse that could put their lives in danger. The article, “Psychological Burden of Quarantine in Children and Adolescents: A Rapid Systematic Review and Proposed Solutions,” can give us a brief idea of this situation and offers new insight as well. The authors systematically reviewed ten studies conducted to examine the effect of quarantine on children and adolescents. According to their findings, an increase in child abuse is common during social isolation and quarantine, and a spike in child abuse was present during the Ebola outbreak as well (Imran et al.). This suggests that a rise in child abuse during disease outbreaks is inevitable, and it might increase as the pandemic continues. In addition to the mental and physical health problems that adolescents are already being affected by, the abuses could make it worse. According to the Australian Institute of Family Studies, victims of child abuse could develop PTSD, depression, eating disorders, and increases the risk of suicide (Hunter and Lamont). The risk of suicide is the most worrying result of child abuse because it shows that they are at their breaking point. The risk of suicide can signify a breaking point to many victims of child abuse, and it’s the most worrying result. A lack of access to mental health resources and a safe space to confide with someone about their situation could worsen their mental and physical health.
Furthermore, we should keep in mind that not all adolescents living in an abusive environment were in one before the pandemic. Some of these abuses might have started months after the WHO declared a pandemic. The article, “Psychosocial Features in Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic,” goes more into detail about what might’ve caused child abuse to rise. The authors explain that “Parents are exhausted, stressed, and often display a lack of patience and availability due to the overwhelming multiple responsibilities” (Miclea et al.). The combination of stress and a lack of patience would increase the chances of arguments breaking out between parents and their children. This would, in turn, cause the life satisfaction of adolescents to decrease while symptoms of depression increase (Magson et al.). The pandemic has undeniably, bought a lot of stress and worries on people; nevertheless, this does not excuse the wrong actions of those parents who abused their children. The ramifications could be long-term and life-changing for those victims. Unfortunately, adolescents and children in this situation do not benefit from their parents or guardians working from home.
Socioeconomic status plays a role in how well adolescents adjust during quarantine. The BELLA cohort study can help us understand its importance as it examines the impact of socioeconomic status on adolescents’ mental health. According to the study, “Children and adolescents with low SES [socioeconomic status] are two to three times more likely to develop mental health problems than their peers with high SES” (Reiss et al. 2). Children and adolescents with low SES have limited options and access to services that those with high SES otherwise would. The statistics put in perspective the struggles those with low socioeconomic status are going through during these sensitive times. The pandemic certainly is not helping the situation, as it caused millions of people to lose their jobs, “which has directly worsened the pre-existing social inequality” (Singh et al.). And as mentioned above, the risk of child abuse increases as parents continue to become stressed, and financial troubles are one of the factors that contribute to that risk. In other words, children and adolescents will face the risk of becoming victims of child abuse even after the pandemic ends “as several triggers such as economic pressure and mental health problems of parents will last for some time” (Fegert et al.). Together with these findings and the current economic situation, we can assume that post-pandemic will have an uptick in mental health issues in many disadvantaged children and adolescents.
There has been many research on how social inequality affects adolescents during the pandemic, but how those from high-income families are affected is not talked about much. Although there is a lack of research, past studies can help us understand how adolescents with high SES adjust to the pandemic. “Children's Health and Social Mobility,” an article journal by Anne Case and Christina Paxson, is one of these studies. According to the journal, “For all age groups, children from higher-income families are more likely than those in other income groups to be in excellent or very good health” (Case and Paxson 153). Access to healthcare services and better living conditions are some of the advantages of having a high SES. This is not to say adolescents with high SES aren't being affected negatively, but that they have more resources to help them adjust to the pandemic. Though they have advantages, the pandemic and the restrictions are also affecting their lives. In any case, more research focusing on the mental health of adolescents from higher-income families is needed so that they feel their struggles aren't invalidated.
The challenges adolescents are experiencing during the pandemic are great, daunting, but so what can we do to help them? Many recommendations were suggested by those from the Department of Psychiatry at King George's Medical University. The authors suggested that teachers incorporate some form of creative activities in their online classes, such as having their students engaged in puzzle games or teaching them stress-coping strategies (Singh et al.). This idea allows students to interact with their friends and teachers, as well as engage their brains. Besides, it would help shift their attitude towards online learning positively and help improve their mental health. But what do adolescents think of this? In the article, “Mental Health in High School Students at the Time of COVID-19: A Student’s Perspective,” Aditya Thakur, a student, provided his perspective on this issue. Thakur also thinks that adolescents should be taught stress-coping strategies to help them “build resilience” (Thakur). There are a variety of options that students could choose from and feel fits their needs the most. This year has been challenging for students, so providing them with resources and support goes a long way during the pandemic.
There are other ways to help adolescents during the pandemic. Thakur has many suggestions, but one seems to be the most recommended out of all. “As a high school student, I would like to advocate for greater cohesiveness in governance across all levels—regional, provincial, and national—to mobilize and invest in community resources that promote engagement with local youth organizations” (Thakur). It seems Thakur is stressing the importance of leadership assistance for youth during this time of need. With school closed, millions of students worldwide will have difficulty accessing resources, such as food or emotional support. Effective leadership is needed to help students stay healthy and equipped with basic needs. Thakur sums up this up perfectly by concluding that “the way we respond is going to shape the mental health of adolescents for the future” (Thakur). We should use this opportunity to show adolescents that they are heard and not alone in their struggles. To look at the problem from an adolescent’s perspective is worthwhile, and Thakur certainly has many practical solutions.
The disruption the pandemic has caused can have dire consequences on the lives of adolescents as they enter adulthood. Instead of enjoying their youth exploring and experimenting, they had to stay home during the most critical point in their life. The mental and physical toll the pandemic has caused will affect them for years to come. Despite this, I learned that the pandemic created opportunities for families to grow closer together and improve high school students’ sleep schedules. As much as there are negatives, there were also positives that came out of the pandemic. Support and help from teachers, parents, organizations, and the government can help alleviate some of their stress and problems. A year of social isolation will cause many adolescents to have developmental and physical health issues combined with the lack of social interaction will interfere with their social lives, regardless of their socioeconomic status. A few of these articles have mentioned that longitudinal studies are needed to examine the long-term effects of social isolation caused by the pandemic on adolescents. The long-term effects are unknown for now, but current studies allow us to become aware of the situation and create a framework for future studies.
Works Cited
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Case, Anne, and Christina Paxson. “Children's Health and Social Mobility.” The Future of Children, vol. 16, no. 2, 2006, pp. 151–173. JSTOR, https://www-jstor-org.nhcproxy.mnpals.net/stable/pdf/3844795.pdf?ab_seg…;
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Silver, Katie. “‘Adolescence Now Lasts from 10 to 24.’” BBC News, 19 Jan. 2018, ww.bbc.com/news/health-42732442.
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