IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i3p1062-d486828.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Qualitative Study of Child and Adolescent Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ireland

Author

Listed:
  • Katriona O’Sullivan

    (Department of Psychology, The National University of Ireland, Maynooth W23 F2H, Ireland)

  • Serena Clark

    (Department of Psychology, The National University of Ireland, Maynooth W23 F2H, Ireland)

  • Amy McGrane

    (Department of Psychology, The National University of Ireland, Maynooth W23 F2H, Ireland)

  • Nicole Rock

    (Department of Psychology, The National University of Ireland, Maynooth W23 F2H, Ireland)

  • Lydia Burke

    (Department of Psychology, The National University of Ireland, Maynooth W23 F2H, Ireland)

  • Neasa Boyle

    (Department of Psychology, The National University of Ireland, Maynooth W23 F2H, Ireland)

  • Natasha Joksimovic

    (Department of Psychology, The National University of Ireland, Maynooth W23 F2H, Ireland)

  • Kevin Marshall

    (Department of Psychology, The National University of Ireland, Maynooth W23 F2H, Ireland)

Abstract

Mitigating the adverse physical health risks associated with COVID-19 has been a priority of public health incentives. Less attention has been placed on understanding the psychological factors related to the global pandemic, especially among vulnerable populations. This qualitative study sought to understand the experiences of children and adolescents during COVID-19. This study interviewed 48 families during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, and a national lockdown, to understand its impacts. The study used an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) methodology. Parents and children discussed the negative impact of the restrictions on young people’s wellbeing. Children and adolescents experienced adverse mental health effects, including feelings of social isolation, depression, anxiety, and increases in maladaptive behaviour. Families with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders reported increased mental health difficulties during this period mostly due to changes to routine. The findings highlight the impact of severe restrictions on vulnerable populations’ wellbeing and mental health outcomes, including children, adolescents, and those with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Suggested Citation

  • Katriona O’Sullivan & Serena Clark & Amy McGrane & Nicole Rock & Lydia Burke & Neasa Boyle & Natasha Joksimovic & Kevin Marshall, 2021. "A Qualitative Study of Child and Adolescent Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ireland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-15, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:3:p:1062-:d:486828
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/3/1062/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/3/1062/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Finiki Nearchou & Clodagh Flinn & Rachel Niland & Sheena Siva Subramaniam & Eilis Hennessy, 2020. "Exploring the Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health Outcomes in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-19, November.
    2. Daise Fernanda Santos Souza Escobar & Thais Ferreira de Jesus & Priscilla Rayanne e Silva Noll & Matias Noll, 2020. "Family and School Context: Effects on the Mental Health of Brazilian Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-13, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Chelsea A. Pelletier & Katie Cornish & Caroline Sanders, 2021. "Children’s Independent Mobility and Physical Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study with Families," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-12, April.
    2. Emily Widnall & Emma A. Adams & Ruth Plackett & Lizzy Winstone & Claire M. A. Haworth & Becky Mars & 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," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-14, June.
    3. Sara Isernia & Francesca Sangiuliano Intra & Camilla Bussandri & Mario Clerici & Valeria Blasi & Francesca Baglio, 2021. "Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Habilitating Residential Communities for Unaccompanied Minors during the First Lockdown in Italy: The Educators’ Relational Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-12, June.
    4. Rachel Winter & Anna Lavis, 2021. "The Impact of COVID-19 on Young People’s Mental Health in the UK: Key Insights from Social Media Using Online Ethnography," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Ana Lourenço & Fernando Martins & Beatriz Pereira & Rui Mendes, 2021. "Children Are Back to School, but Is Play Still in Lockdown? Play Experiences, Social Interactions, and Children’s Quality of Life in Primary Education in the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-15, November.
    6. Jung-In Yoo & Joung-Kyue Han & Hyun-Su Youn & Joo-Hyug Jung, 2021. "Comparison of Health Awareness in South Korean Middle School Students According to Type of Online Physical Education Classes during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-10, July.
    7. Katrina Lloyd & Dirk Schubotz & Rosellen Roche & Joel Manzi & Martina McKnight, 2023. "A Mental Health Pandemic? Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Young People’s Mental Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(16), pages 1-16, August.
    8. Stephanie Scott & Victoria J. McGowan & Shelina Visram, 2021. "‘I’m Gonna Tell You about How Mrs Rona Has Affected Me’. Exploring Young People’s Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic in North East England: A Qualitative Diary-Based Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-21, April.
    9. Aneta Lew-Koralewicz, 2022. "Psychosocial Functioning and the Educational Experiences of Students with ASD during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-15, August.
    10. Katarzyna Kotlarska & Benita Wielgus & Łukasz Cichocki, 2021. "Phenomenology of the COVID-19 Pandemic Experience in Patients Suffering from Chronic Schizophrenia—A Qualitative Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-12, December.
    11. Kimberly C. Thomson & Emily Jenkins & Randip Gill & Chris G. Richardson & Monique Gagné Petteni & Corey McAuliffe & Anne M. Gadermann, 2021. "Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Family Mental Health in Canada: Findings from a Multi-Round Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-17, November.
    12. Justė Lukoševičiūtė & Kastytis Šmigelskas, 2022. "Mental Health during COVID-19 Pandemic: Qualitative Perceptions among Lithuanian Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-15, June.
    13. Katarína Polónyiová & Barbara Rašková & Daniela Ostatníková, 2022. "Changes in Mental Health during Three Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Slovakia: Neurotypical Children versus Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Parents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-11, September.
    14. Seung-Man Lee & Jung-In Yoo & Hyun-Su Youn, 2021. "Changes in Alienation in Physical Education Classes, School Happiness, and Expectations of a Future Healthy Life after the COVID-19 Pandemic in Korean Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-11, October.
    15. Tania Clarke & Ruth Platt, 2023. "Children’s Lived Experiences of Wellbeing at School in England: a Phenomenological Inquiry," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(3), pages 963-996, June.
    16. M. Siyabend Kaya & Ciara McCabe, 2022. "Effects of COVID-19 on Adolescent Mental Health and Internet Use by Ethnicity and Gender: A Mixed-Method Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-20, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Michal Molcho & Aoife Gavin & Devon Goodwin, 2021. "Levels of Physical Activity and Mental Health in Adolescents in Ireland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-12, February.
    2. Kevin Lanza & Casey P. Durand & Melody Alcazar & Sierra Ehlers & Kai Zhang & Harold W. Kohl, 2021. "School Parks as a Community Health Resource: Use of Joint-Use Parks by Children before and during COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-14, September.
    3. Rosa Bosch & Mireia Pagerols & Raquel Prat & Gemma Español-Martín & Cristina Rivas & Montserrat Dolz & Josep Maria Haro & Josep Antoni Ramos-Quiroga & Marta Ribasés & Miquel Casas, 2022. "Changes in the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Lockdown: Associated Factors and Life Conditions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-17, March.
    4. Miriam Blume & Petra Rattay & Stephanie Hoffmann & Jacob Spallek & Lydia Sander & Raphael Herr & Matthias Richter & Irene Moor & Nico Dragano & Claudia Pischke & Iryna Iashchenko & Claudia Hövener & B, 2021. "Health Inequalities in Children and Adolescents: A Scoping Review of the Mediating and Moderating Effects of Family Characteristics," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-33, July.
    5. Emma Sethina Adjaottor & Frimpong-Manso Addo & Florence Aninniwaa Ahorsu & Hsin-Pao Chen & Daniel Kwasi Ahorsu, 2022. "Predictors of COVID-19 Stress and COVID-19 Vaccination Acceptance among Adolescents in Ghana," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-14, June.
    6. Dae-Jung Lee & Wi-Young So & Seung-Man Lee, 2021. "The Relationship between Korean Adolescents’ Sports Participation, Internal Health Locus of Control, and Wellness during COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-13, March.
    7. Yu-Hsiu Chu & Yao-Chuen Li, 2022. "The Impact of Online Learning on Physical and Mental Health in University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-10, March.
    8. Emma Motrico & Jose A. Salinas-Perez & Maria Luisa Rodero-Cosano & Sonia Conejo-Cerón, 2021. "Editors’ Comments on the Special Issue “Social Determinants of Mental Health”," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-9, April.
    9. Dilan Aksoy & Celeste Simões & Céline Anne Favre, 2023. "Exposure to Intimate-Partner Violence and Resilience Trajectories of Adolescents: A Two-Wave Longitudinal Latent Transition Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(9), pages 1-21, April.
    10. Stephanie Scott & Victoria J. McGowan & Shelina Visram, 2021. "‘I’m Gonna Tell You about How Mrs Rona Has Affected Me’. Exploring Young People’s Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic in North East England: A Qualitative Diary-Based Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-21, April.
    11. Min Yao & Paul I Kadetz & Aissata Mahamadou Sidibe & Yedong Wu & Jiameng Li & Jinping Lyu & Cuiling Ma & Therese Hesketh, 2021. "Teachers’ Perceptions of Student Mental Health in Eastern China: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-18, July.
    12. Keonhyeong Lee & Liyuan Wang, 2023. "Chinese High-Tech Export Performance: Effects of Intellectual Capital Mediated by Dynamic and Risk Management Capabilities," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(1), pages 21582440231, February.
    13. Reuben Kindred & Glen W. Bates, 2023. "The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Social Anxiety: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-28, January.
    14. Michael Zeiler & Tanja Wittek & Leonie Kahlenberg & Eva-Maria Gröbner & Martina Nitsch & Gudrun Wagner & Stefanie Truttmann & Helene Krauss & Karin Waldherr & Andreas Karwautz, 2021. "Impact of COVID-19 Confinement on Adolescent Patients with Anorexia Nervosa: A Qualitative Interview Study Involving Adolescents and Parents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-16, April.
    15. Giulia Casu & Valentina Hlebec & Licia Boccaletti & Irena Bolko & Alessandra Manattini & Elizabeth Hanson, 2021. "Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being among Adolescent Young Carers in Europe: A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-23, February.
    16. Dongying Li & Tess Menotti & Yizhen Ding & Nancy M. Wells, 2021. "Life Course Nature Exposure and Mental Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Future Directions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-28, May.
    17. Rebeca Gracia-Liso & Maria J. Portella & Joaquim Puntí-Vidal & Elena Pujals-Altés & Jordi Torralbas-Ortega & Marta Llorens & Montserrat Pamias & Marc Fradera-Jiménez & Itziar Montalvo-Aguirrezabala & , 2023. "COVID-19 Pandemic Has Changed the Psychiatric Profile of Adolescents Attempting Suicide: A Cross-Sectional Comparison," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-11, February.
    18. Ascensión Fumero & Rosario J. Marrero & Alicia Pérez-Albéniz & Eduardo Fonseca-Pedrero, 2021. "Adolescents’ Bipolar Experiences and Suicide Risk: Well-being and Mental Health Difficulties as Mediators," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-16, March.
    19. Liliana Dumitrache & Elena Stănculescu & Mariana Nae & Daniela Dumbrăveanu & Gabriel Simion & Ana Maria Taloș & Alina Mareci, 2021. "Post-Lockdown Effects on Students’ Mental Health in Romania: Perceived Stress, Missing Daily Social Interactions, and Boredom Proneness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-17, August.
    20. Rachel Winter & Anna Lavis, 2021. "The Impact of COVID-19 on Young People’s Mental Health in the UK: Key Insights from Social Media Using Online Ethnography," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-13, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:3:p:1062-:d:486828. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.