This study contributes to the expanding body of research on the psychological impacts of pandemic-related restrictions by investigating the effects of lockdowns on the mood of young and older adolescents. Employing a moderation-mediation analysis framework, we explore how social support and coping strategies mediate and moderate the relationships between lockdown duration and mood, while controlling for socioeconomic status (SES). Our findings reveal intriguing distinctions between the two age groups. For younger adolescents (12-14 years), coping significantly moderates the relationship between lockdown and social support. However, social support does not mediate the lockdown-mood link for this age group. Contrarily, for older adolescents (15-18 years), social support emerges as a significant mediator of the lockdown-mood relationship, albeit with no significant moderation by coping. These results emphasize the importance of tailored interventions and support systems for distinct adolescent age groups during pandemic-related restrictions.
Table of Contents
Research Report
Abstract
Introduction
SES
Gender
Coping
Social support
Lockdown severity
Addressing gaps in the literature
Hypotheses
Method
Participants
2021 statistics
Questionnaire measures
Anxiety
Depression
Coping
Social support
SES
Procedure
Data screening
Statistical analysis
Results
Discussion
References
Appendices
Research Objectives & Topics
This research aims to investigate the psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic-related lockdown measures on the mood of adolescents aged 12-18, specifically examining how social support and coping strategies mediate or moderate these effects while controlling for socio-economic status.
- Psychological impacts of COVID-19 lockdowns on adolescents
- Moderation and mediation effects of social support and coping strategies
- Distinctions between young (12-14 years) and older (15-18 years) adolescent cohorts
- Influence of socio-economic status on mental health during pandemic restrictions
Excerpt from the Book
Lockdown Severity
One of the world's longest 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns occurred in Victoria, Australia. The ripple effect of business bankruptcy, job losses and economic hardships impacted all family members, but particularly adolescents. Therefore, comparatively Melbourne had a dramatic increase in hospitalisations, suicides and self-harm (O’Donoghue et al., 2022). While it could be predicted that Victorian Adolescents would report lower mental health compared those from other states, preliminary research by Meyer et al. (2023) suggests no difference. However, that study was limited to a comparison of a small number of Victorian (n = 337) and Queensland (n = 350) students and included both adolescents and young adults aged 16 – 24 years. Notably the policies surrounding high school and university closures differed and mixing these student groups may have confounded different lockdown experiences. The comparison between states remains to be revisited and in particular expanded to include younger adolescents, a great range of states (e.g. Western Australia and South Australia where there were no and only five days of lockdown respectively) and an exploration of gender differences in early adolescence and the possible influence on mental health (e.g., Alloy et al., 2016). Victoria and Queensland were the only Australian states involved in this study on purpose to enable a comparison of the two extremes of the lockdown spectrum. Although there was a national response to the pandemic coordinated by the National Cabinet, this is a limitation as there were other differences between these states that had nothing to do with lockdown experiences, such as climate (warmer in Queensland), and public health response capacity. The present thesis will address the gaps in this literature by providing a thorough investigation of the detrimental effects of lockdowns on young people's mental health in light of the pandemic's complexity and severity.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides context on the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on adolescent mental health, discussing stressors, the role of social support, and existing literature gaps.
Lockdown severity: Discusses the varying lockdown experiences across Australian states, particularly focusing on the differences between Victoria and Queensland.
Addressing gaps in the literature: Outlines the research focus on how SES, coping, and social support mediate/moderate mental health during lockdown.
Hypotheses: Presents eight research hypotheses regarding the relationships between lockdown, mental health, social support, coping, and gender.
Method: Details the archival longitudinal data provided by Resilient Youth Australia (RYA) and the measurement tools used.
Procedure: Explains the survey dissemination process and the participants' demographic and school environment contexts.
Data screening: Describes the methodology for clustering participants into age groups and determining SES levels.
Statistical analysis: Describes the use of PROCESS macro in SPSS to test the mediated moderation models.
Results: Reports the specific findings for younger and older adolescents regarding the mediation/moderation of social support and coping on mood.
Discussion: Interprets the findings on age-specific reactions, the role of social support, and the implications for future interventions.
Keywords
COVID-19 pandemic, adolescents, mental health, coping, SES, lockdown, social support, anxiety, depression, moderation, mediation, longitudinal study, resilience, psychological well-being, Australia
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research examines the psychological impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on adolescents, specifically looking at how external circumstances like lockdown duration interact with internal factors like coping mechanisms and social support to influence mental health.
What are the primary thematic areas?
The study centers on mental health, the COVID-19 pandemic, socio-economic status (SES), gender differences, social support, and coping strategies.
What is the primary goal of the study?
The study aims to determine if the relationship between lockdown duration and adolescent mood is mediated by social support and whether this relationship is moderated by coping strategies, gender, and SES.
Which methodology is employed?
The research uses archival longitudinal data and performs a moderated mediation analysis using the PROCESS macro in SPSS to assess the relationships between the variables.
What does the main body cover?
The main body covers a literature review on factors affecting adolescent mental health, a detailed hypothesis section, the methodology behind the data collection, detailed statistical results, and an extensive discussion interpreting these findings.
Which keywords characterize this paper?
Key terms include COVID-19 pandemic, adolescents, mental health, coping, SES, lockdown, and social support.
How do results differ for younger versus older adolescents?
The study found that for younger adolescents (12-14), coping moderates the lockdown-social support link, whereas for older adolescents (15-18), social support directly mediates the link between lockdown and mood.
What is "partial competitive mediation" mentioned in the discussion?
It describes a complex finding in older adolescents where, although lockdown duration was associated with lower mood, this negative impact was partially offset by increased social support, which in turn improved mood.
What are the limitations regarding the sample?
The study notes that the sample was regionally constrained to specific areas within Australia, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to broader international populations and different cultural contexts.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anonym (Autor:in), 2023, Examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in adolescents, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1488792
