Discussion
This study set out to explore the experiences of early adolescents (aged 11-13 years) during the COVID-19 pandemic, and identify the self-care and coping strategies adopted to support their mental health and wellbeing. As the adolescents were plunged into lockdown, many viewed the initial period positively as they had more free time and could participate in other hobbies such as cooking, art, playing games, and watching television. However, over time they began to miss time with their peers, within and out of the school environment. As it became evident that young people were to be taught without the previous input and support from their teachers, some became more frustrated. Others also expressed anger about the Government guidelines not being clear and towards people who did not follow the social distancing rules. The findings from this study revealed that key issues for adolescents were focused around missing their peers and face-to-face support from their teachers.
Regarding school closures, the experiences of adolescents working independently at home varied, with some reporting finding it a struggle to complete tasks without structure. However, for others it became a swift morning routine, with some finishing their work as early as 11 o’clock. Notably, the adolescents who spoke about having a routine, either directly or indirectly, seemed to manage better than those who did not. This is consistent with contemporaneous studies into the impact of the pandemic on adolescents’ wellbeing (e.g., Demkowicz et al., 2020), and evidence regarding strategies for supporting positive wellbeing and good mental health (e.g., Koome et al., 2012). Of particular note is that almost all participants commented on the difficulties of not having face-to-face contact with their teachers, highlighting just how valuable this support is to them. Whilst many acknowledged that their teachers were still contactable via email and were doing their best to help, it appears that this was not an adequate replacement for daily face-to-face contact. This should not be understated, and emphasises how important it is to enable young people to have regular access to their teachers throughout the pandemic and as we emerge from it.
As adolescents transition from primary to secondary school, they would usually be forming new peer relations and be exploring their new school environment (Mackenzie et al., 2012). However, young people within the study reported returning to school in September 2020 with many restrictions in place, such as only mixing with their bubble (usually their class) and having the same fixed place for lunch and break every day. Not being able to interact with their peers as normal was difficult for some adolescents, who reported a greater desire for autonomy and independence. Indeed, our participants emphasised their need to meet their friends away home and out of the classroom at school. This finding is consistent with previous evidence that suggests increased autonomy and interaction with peers is of great importance during this period of development (Van Ryzin et al., 2009), further supporting that this is a key issue for this age group during the pandemic. At the time of writing, the current narrative in the UK appears to focus on young people ‘catching up’ academically, including the possibility of additional lessons during the weekends and summer holidays (e.g., Department for Education, 2021). However, the findings from this study suggest that, moving forward, it will be equally (if not more) vital to ensure that young people have opportunities to ‘catch up’ on time spent with their peers, building relationships, and forming their identity outside of the family home.
Results from this study are consistent with the challenges already identified for adolescents during lockdown in other domains of their life, with reported impacts on their mental and physical health, including increased feelings of frustration, a sense of loss, disturbed sleeping patterns, unhealthier eating habits, and lack of physical activity. Going forward, it may be useful for the policies and procedures implemented to aim to help support young people with caring for their mental and physical health, perhaps through school-based interventions or the provision of online resources. While some of these resources already exist (e.g., YoungMinds, the Anna Freud Centre), perhaps more needs to be done to ensure they reach the young people who need them. Furthermore, participants in this study also voiced frustrations with the UK Government. This is corroborated by previous literature such as the TELL study, where older adolescents also emphasised frustrations with the way the pandemic had been handled (Demkowicz et al., 2020). Our study therefore builds upon this, highlighting that these issues are consistent across ages. To reduce this frustration, consulting with young people and ensuring their voices are heard when developing policies for preventing the transmission of COVID-19, and eventually, the road map for emerging out of lockdowns and returning to ‘normality’, is invaluable. Research by Kim and colleagues (2020) supports this. They interviewed teachers within the UK, and found that they felt uncertainty and worry for the most vulnerable children, such as those with mental health difficulties. They wanted more joined-up thinking from the UK Government on how to support them effectively, along with clarity from policymakers to enable future planning.
Adolescents reported feeling sad, frustrated and angry as a result of lockdown, and worry about their loved ones. They seemed informed about the virus and the guidance around it, but the news did cause more worry and fear for some. Initial research examining global media framing of COVID-19 showed an emphasis on fear messages and scaremongering, as well as a drive towards constantly releasing breaking news on the pandemic (Ogbodo et al., 2020) and so it is perhaps unsurprising that the news has increased anxiety amongst this age group. While the implications of this are not yet known, there is potential that this prolonged exposure to worry may manifest itself as increased rates anxiety or other emotional difficulties in this population in the long-term (Loades et al., 2020). It is important to highlight that adolescents did appear to be very aware of what was going on around them, often expressing frustration regarding their situation of being stuck at home away from their friends and school, and others not following the rules.
However, alongside the difficulties expressed by some young people, our findings offer insight into the adaptation and resilience occurring among early adolescents at this time. The majority engaged in self-care and valued looking after their wellbeing, and many were able to identify the adaptive coping strategies they could implement to mitigate any aspects of lockdown they found particularly challenging. Participants adopted various strategies, including both active help-seeking strategies (e.g., seeking support from their friends), and cognitive coping strategies (e.g., finding the positives of lockdown.) This is perhaps unsurprising as these sorts of coping strategies are the ones most frequently used by adolescents (Cicognani, 2011; Gelhaar et al., 2007).
Furthermore, all participants also highlighted the benefits of lockdown. The main positive for the young people appeared to be the extra time they were now spending with their parents and siblings. At times, this seemed to be quite influential on how positive they were about their time in lockdown. As parents who may have worried about the negative effects on their children being at home and away from school and their friends for so long, they may find comfort knowing that more time with them created feelings of happiness and connectivity. This is vital given that current research indicates that parents are currently unaware of the impact of the pandemic on their children (Horesh & Brown, 2020).
Many young people welcomed the opportunity to have more free time with less demands placed on them, and to explore new hobbies and develop new skills. This highlights the extent of the pressure and stress that is placed on our young people, with high-stakes examinations and complex social pressures. Their engagement in personal development (e.g., learning to cook) and evaluation of their lives in lockdown reflects positive youth development, positioning adolescents as agents of their own development and growth (Larson, 2006). It has previously been argued that education systems are frequently at odds with this need for self-determination in adolescence, with little scope for young people to exercise autonomy (Eccles et al., 1993). Thus, the COVID-19 pandemic may represent an opportunity to reflect on the structure of our education system and the demands placed on our adolescents, and the extent to which we act as facilitators in their self-exploration. Such reflection should include active discussion with adolescents about what can be learned and acted on to carry forward the positives of lockdown.