Emotional consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in adolescents: challenges to public health.
Thaianne Cristine Gadagnoto, Lise Maria Carvalho Mendes, Juliana Cristina Dos Santos Monteiro and 2 others
PMID 35499758WHAT IT FOUND
Adolescents interviewed about pandemic isolation described initial relief, then loneliness, anxiety, worsening of existing distress, and an account mentioned suicidal thoughts; increased social media did not relieve distress.
Key findings
01Adolescents initially saw school closures as a respite, then reported fear, loneliness, frustration, anxiety, boredom, and anguish as isolation continued.
02Adolescents reported anxiety, sadness, loss of interest, worsening of previous psychosocial problems, and an account described suicidal thoughts.
03Adolescents often used internet and social media more, but this did not resolve distress and was associated with persistent negative feelings.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study included only adolescents from two public schools in a small municipality, so the accounts may not represent adolescents in other places or schools. Participants had to have internet access, so adolescents without internet were not represented. Each adolescent was interviewed only once, so the study did not follow the same people over time to confirm how their feelings changed. Pre-existing health or mental health conditions were not separated, so it is hard to know which changes were due to the pandemic and which were already present. The interviewer had previously given mental health lectures to the same group, which may have influenced responses. This is a qualitative study of experiences, so it cannot show that any treatment caused improvement or harm.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that pandemic isolation caused mental disorders or that social media support helps; it describes adolescents' experiences and does not test treatments or outcomes.