The COVID‐19 pandemic and adolescents' and young adults' experiences at school: A systematic narrative review

Abstract

The COVID‐19 pandemic upended the lives of adolescents and young adults across the globe. In response to the pandemic onset, educational institutions were forced to pivot to online learning, a new teaching and learning format for most secondary and university students. This systematic narrative review summarizes findings from 168 publications spanning 56 countries on students' educational outcomes and school climate as well as the internal assets and contextual supports that promoted academic well‐being during the pandemic. Our findings suggest that young people commonly reported declines in their academic‐related outcomes and school‐based relationships due to the COVID‐19 pandemic. Internal assets (e.g., intrinsic motivation and self‐efficacy) and contextual supports (i.e., relationships with teachers, peers, and parents) promoted academic well‐being during the pandemic. Next steps for research on young people's academic well‐being during the pandemic are suggested.