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

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.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2022

Erschienen:

2022

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:19

Enthalten in:

International journal of environmental research and public health - 19(2022), 12 vom: 10. Juni

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Widnall, Emily [VerfasserIn]
Adams, Emma A [VerfasserIn]
Plackett, Ruth [VerfasserIn]
Winstone, Lizzy [VerfasserIn]
Haworth, Claire M A [VerfasserIn]
Mars, Becky [VerfasserIn]
Kidger, Judi [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Adolescence
COVID-19
Journal Article
Mental health
Peer relationships
Qualitative methods
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
School closures

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 27.06.2022

Date Revised 16.07.2022

published: Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.3390/ijerph19127163

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM342634925