ERIC Number: EJ1318574
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Oct
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0012-1649
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Connections during Crisis: Adolescents' Social Dynamics and Mental Health during COVID-19
Developmental Psychology, v57 n10 p1633-1647 Oct 2021
Adolescence is a critical period for social development, which COVID-19 has dramatically altered. Quarantined youths had limited in-person interactions with peers. The present study used an intensive longitudinal design to investigate changes in interpersonal dynamics and mental health during COVID-19. Specifically, we investigated whether the associations between different social contexts--that is, "spillover"--changed during COVID-19 and whether changes in social interactions during COVID-19 was associated with changes in depressive symptoms. Approximately 1 year prior to the onset of COVID-19, 139 youths reported depressive symptoms and daily interactions with parents, siblings, and friends, every day for 21 days via online questionnaires. Shortly after schools closed due to COVID-19, 115 of these youths completed a similar 28-day diary. Analyses included 112 youths (62 girls; 73% Caucasian; M[subscript age] = 11.77, range = 8 to 15 in Wave 1) who completed at least 13 diary days in each data wave. Our results show that younger adolescents experienced significant decreases in negative and positive interactions with friends, whereas older adolescents showed significant decreases in negative interactions with friends and significant increases in positive interactions with siblings. As predicted, within-day spillover of positive interactions and person-level association of negative interactions increased within the family during COVID-19, whereas within-day spillover of positive interactions between family and friends decreased. We also found a dramatic increase in depressive symptoms. More negative interactions and fewer positive interactions with family members were associated with changes in depressive symptoms. Our study sheds light on how youths' social development may be impacted by COVID-19.
Descriptors: Adolescents, Mental Health, COVID-19, Pandemics, School Closing, Friendship, Family Relationship, Social Development, Emotional Development, Depression (Psychology), Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Social Environment, Interaction, Correlation, Age Differences, Gender Differences, Public Schools, Diaries, Siblings
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (DHHS/NIH)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Connecticut
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Childrens Depression Inventory
Grant or Contract Numbers: T32MH18268; R21MH119552
Data File: URL: https://osf.io/eq62h/?view_only=742c1d2916454517b6416302d6211926
Author Affiliations: N/A