A Case Study on the Impact of Digital Relationships on Unaccompanied Minors during the COVID-19 Lockdown

Abstract

The exploratory study investigates how unaccompanied minors (UAMs) in Italy dealt with social isolation at the time of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Have they suffered from the effects of the lockdown? How did their relationships change? What feelings characterised their experience? What factors helped them? Did ICT help them, or did it increase their social and economic marginalisation? Very little research has investigated the issues of UAMs, socialisation, technologies, and pandemics together. The data were collected through a purpose-built questionnaire that obtained an excellent Cronbach Alpha index (0.91) for internal consistency, which was administered to the migrant students of a school in North-East Italy. The answers indicated that they perceived the change in their social relations; but they coped with it, thanks to their internal resources, such as resilience and self-efficacy, and external ones, including digital devices and social support from family and teachers. Their friendship networks are regrettably fragile, and the youths do not rely much on them. On the other hand, the results show the crucial role of adults for the UAMs’ well-being: everyone, from the developers of policies to teachers, should take this aspect into account. Providing teenagers with appropriate communication technologies, ensuring the support of caregivers and teachers, and organising activities that strengthen peer networks are the actions of paramount importance, to ensure their welfare.