Adolescent Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic and School Closures and Implications for Mental Health, Peer Relationships and Learning: A Qualitative Study in South-West England

Abstract

The COVID-19 ‘lockdown’ and multiple school closures disrupted the daily lives and routines of the entire UK population. However, adolescents were likely particularly impacted by such measures due to this time being key for social and educational development. This qualitative study explored young people’s experiences of lockdowns and school closures. Fifteen secondary schools within south-west England were initially contacted and three schools participated in recruitment efforts. From December 2020 to March 2021, 25 students aged 14–15 participated in a combination of individual interviews (n = 5) and focus groups (n = 3). Findings revealed diverse experiences of the pandemic and highlighted the complexity of experiences according to individual student contexts. Three main themes were identified: (1) Learning environments; (2) Connection to peers; (3) Transition, adaptation and coping. These findings highlight the value young people place on face-to-face social contact with close friends, and the sense of structure provided by school, with implications for future home-based learning. Further in-depth qualitative research is needed to continue to understand the varied experiences during the course of the pandemic, particularly longer-term impacts on mental health and learning.

Psychosocial Functioning and the Educational Experiences of Students with ASD during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland

“…In addition to functioning in the family environment, relationships with the peer group are an important indicator of social functioning. Young people emphasize the value they place on direct social contact with close friends [ 72 ]. As the results of this study show, adolescents and young adults with ASD perceive the loss of social contact as difficult [ 73 ].…”

Social media use as a coping mechanism during the COVID-19 pandemic: A multidimensional perspective on adolescents' well-being

“…Previous studies suggested social connectedness as a central dimension in determining adolescent well-being and that the feelings of belonging and integration in the school social environment mediated the relationship between students' academic and social skills and dimensions of social connection, happiness, and optimism within well-being ( 20 , 21 ). Furthermore, other studies [e.g., ( 22 )] suggested that adolescents' low social connectedness within middle school social groups is positively associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms.…”

Longitudinal Change in Adolescent Depression and Anxiety Symptoms from before to during the COVID‐19 Pandemic

“…A British study reported longitudinal increases in depressive symptoms but not anxiety symptoms in late childhood (age 7–11 years; Bignardi et al., 2020 ). However, other papers reported no change in internalizing symptoms (Achterberg et al., 2021 or a reduction in risk for anxiety in early adolescents (Widnall et al., 2020 ). There is still limited evidence of longitudinal changes in mental health from before the pandemic to during the COVID‐19 pandemic in a large, diverse sample spanning all of adolescence (age 9–18).…”