Protective factors and risk factors in coping with the Covid-19 pandemic crisis by ado

Abstract

Introduction: The environmental crisis, which was the period of the Covid-19 pandemic and the accompanying isolation, caused negative changes in the mental and social functioning of some adolescents. Previous studies have indicated severale consequences observed in young people: mental health disorders, attention deficits and in task efficiency, deterioration of peer relations, moods of sadness and depression (e.g. Bigaj, Dębski, 2020; Ghosh et al., 2020; Grzelak, 2020; Pyżalski, 2020a). However, negative symptoms do not affect the general student population. It is therefore important to identify the factors supporting adolescents in coping with the crisis and factors that increase the risk of a decline in mental condition.
 Method: In this context, a study was conducted to answer the question about the type and intensity of specific symptoms of mental crisis in adolescents examined during a pandemic. It was also checked whether the variation in the severity of symptoms was accompanied by differences in psychosocial factors important for coping with the crisis, while controlling the gender variable. The study covered a group of 1,514 students from 7th and 8th grades of primary schools and secondary schools. The Scale of the impact of COVID-19 and home isolation on children and adolescents by Mireia Orgilés, Alexander Morales and José Pedro Espada was used, as well as a survey to diagnose protective factors and risk factors for problem behaviors in adolescents.
 Results: Most young people do not notice changes in their physical and mental well-being after the period of home isolation and the Covid-19 pandemic. On the other hand, a significant group of about one third of the respondents experienced a deterioration in their psychophysical condition. The factors that accompanied the different effects of the pandemic and differentiate young people with strong symptoms of a mental crisis from those who do not experience negative effects are: the quality of peer relations, the quality of the relationship with teachers and the tutors, the type of contact with parents, school and class climate.
 Conclusions: The Covid-19 pandemic and home isolation were accompanied by negative psychophysical changes in approximately one third of adolescents. The pandemic itself, however, is not a direct cause of these changes. What is important here is the contribution of psychosocial factors that make up the conditions in which young people functioned during the pandemic.