Adolescent Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic and School Closures and Implications for Mental Health, Peer Relationships and Learning: A Qualitative Study in South-West England

Widnall, Emily; Adams, Emma A.; Plackett, Ruth; Winstone, Lizzy; Haworth, Claire M. A.; Mars, Becky; Kidger, Judi

doi:10.3390/ijerph19127163

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Adolescent Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic and School Closures and Implications for Mental Health, Peer Relationships and Learning: A Qualitative Study in South-West England

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Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK

Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 4ES, UK

Division of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London NW3 2PF, UK

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School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Academic Editor: Paul B. Tchounwou

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(12), 7163; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127163

Received: 5 May 2022 / Revised: 7 June 2022 / Accepted: 9 June 2022 / Published: 10 June 2022

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Abstract

The COVID-19 ‘lockdown’ and multiple school closures disrupted the daily lives and routines of the entire UK population. However, adolescents were likely particularly impacted by such measures due to this time being key for social and educational development. This qualitative study explored young people’s experiences of lockdowns and school closures. Fifteen secondary schools within south-west England were initially contacted and three schools participated in recruitment efforts. From December 2020 to March 2021, 25 students aged 14–15 participated in a combination of individual interviews (n = 5) and focus groups (n = 3). Findings revealed diverse experiences of the pandemic and highlighted the complexity of experiences according to individual student contexts. Three main themes were identified: (1) Learning environments; (2) Connection to peers; (3) Transition, adaptation and coping. These findings highlight the value young people place on face-to-face social contact with close friends, and the sense of structure provided by school, with implications for future home-based learning. Further in-depth qualitative research is needed to continue to understand the varied experiences during the course of the pandemic, particularly longer-term impacts on mental health and learning. View Full-Text

Keywords: adolescence; peer relationships; mental health; qualitative methods; COVID-19; school closures

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Widnall, E.; Adams, E.A.; Plackett, R.; Winstone, L.; Haworth, C.M.A.; Mars, B.; Kidger, J. Adolescent Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic and School Closures and Implications for Mental Health, Peer Relationships and Learning: A Qualitative Study in South-West England. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 7163. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127163

AMA Style

Widnall E, Adams EA, Plackett R, Winstone L, Haworth CMA, Mars B, Kidger J. Adolescent Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic and School Closures and Implications for Mental Health, Peer Relationships and Learning: A Qualitative Study in South-West England. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(12):7163. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127163

Chicago/Turabian Style

Widnall, Emily, Emma A. Adams, Ruth Plackett, Lizzy Winstone, Claire M.A. Haworth, Becky Mars, and Judi Kidger. 2022. "Adolescent Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic and School Closures and Implications for Mental Health, Peer Relationships and Learning: A Qualitative Study in South-West England" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 12: 7163. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127163

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