Adolescents' Perceived Socio-Emotional Impact of COVID-19 and Implications for Mental Health: Results From a U.S.-Based Mixed-Methods Study
Open accessAbstract
Purpose COVID-19 has disrupted many aspects of adolescents' lives, yet little data are available that document their subjective experiences of the pandemic. In a mixed-methods study of U.S. adolescents, we examined (1) adolescents' perceptions of how their social and emotional lives had changed during COVID-19; and (2) associations between these perceived changes and indices of their mental health, above and beyond their prepandemic mental health status. Methods Four hundred seven U.S. adolescents (M age = 15.24, standard deviation = 1.69; 50% female; 52%, 20% African American, 17% Hispanic/Latinx) completed surveys before (October 2019) and during (April 2020) the COVID-19 pandemic. They provided qualitative and quantitative responses on their experiences with COVID-19 and reports of their mental health. Results Adolescents perceived various changes in their relationships with family and friends (e.g., less perceived friend support) during COVID-19. They also perceived increases in negative affect and decreases in positive affect. These perceived social and emotional changes were associated with elevated depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and loneliness in April 2020, controlling for mental health problems before the pandemic. Conclusions Our findings sensitize clinicians and scholars to the vulnerabilities (changes in friendship dynamics), as well as resiliencies (supportive family contexts), presented to U.S. adolescents during the early months of COVID-19.
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Houghton et al. found that mean levels varied based on loneliness subscale among Australian adolescents; compared to pre-pandemic, there were significant increases in positive attitudes toward being alone during school closures and school re-openings, but also significant increases in feelings of isolation during school re-openings (but not during school closures).
“Houghton et al. [62] found that mean levels varied based on loneliness subscale among Australian adolescents. Compared to pre-pandemic levels, there were significant increases in positive attitudes toward being alone during school closures and school re-openings, but also significant increases in feelings of isolation during school re-openings (but not during school closures).”
From Loneliness and Well-Being in Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [62]
There were seven out of 11 studies with a pre-pandemic assessment that generally showed increases in loneliness and/or loneliness as a predictor of poorer well-being.
“There were seven out of 11 studies with a pre-pandemic assessment that generally showed increases in loneliness and/or loneliness as a predictor of poorer well-being (e.g., [62,64,66]).”
From Loneliness and Well-Being in Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [62]
Social connection mitigated the negative impact of pandemic-related lockdown on mental well-being.
“Most of the studies found that loneliness was significantly associated with anxiety and depression symptoms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., [65,70]), and that social connection mitigated the negative impact of pandemic-related lockdown on mental well-being [62].”
From Loneliness and Well-Being in Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [62]
Many researchers found increases in mean levels of loneliness from before to during the pandemic.
“Many researchers also found increases in mean levels of loneliness from before to during the pandemic [60,62,65], but in one study there were no significant mean-level changes from school closures to three to six months later [67].”
From Loneliness and Well-Being in Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [62]
Although many studies mentioned the timing of study assessments, few studies explicitly accounted for school closures.
“Finally, although many studies mentioned the timing of study assessments, few studies explicitly accounted for school closures [62,67].”
From Loneliness and Well-Being in Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [62]
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References 29 · Cited by 349
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- [26]Glaser B.G. Theoretical sensitivity 1978 Sociological Press Hanover, NH
- Authors
- Rogers, A. A., Ha, T., & Ockey, S.
- Affiliations
- Brigham Young University (US)
- Arizona State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Rogers, Adam A.
- Venue
- Journal of Adolescent Health
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2021-01
- Volume
- 68
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 43-52
- ISSN
- 1054-139X (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC7605752
- OpenAlex
- W3097187681
- Cited by
- 349
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 76 · 2023: 72 · 2022: 102 · 2021: 63 · 2020: 1
- FWCI
- 23.82
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Adolescent Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Keywords
- COVID-19 pandemic, adolescents, adolescent mental health, social and emotional wellbeing, family relationships, loneliness, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, positive and negative affect
- MeSH terms
- COVID-19, Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Anxiety, Emotions, Family, Female, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Surveys and Questionnaires, United States, Friends
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