Adolescents’ Stress Reactions in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic at the Peak of the Outbreak in Italy

Abstract

In this study, we evaluated the variation on stress reactions in Italian adolescents during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic as related to national diffusion of the outbreak, demographic characteristics, and personal experiences related to COVID-19. An online survey was disseminated from April 1 to April 5, 2020. The sample was composed of 5,295 Italian adolescents (75.2% females; mean age = 16.67 years, SD = 1.43), 28.9% of whom presented moderate to high stress reactions during the peak of the pandemic. Older adolescents and females were more likely to be affected by the pandemic. The impact was similar regardless of the varying presence of COVID-19, whether in Lombardy or in regions less affected. Personal experiences with COVID-19 were all associated with stress reactions (direct experience, indirect experience via a friend, or an acquaintance infected). The global nature of the stressor influenced a collective psychological reaction not affected by the specific geographical diffusion of the pandemic.