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Diminished Adolescent Social Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Michael J. Furlong

    (University of California Santa Barbara)

  • Mei-ki Chan

    (Utah State University)

  • Erin Dowdy

    (University of California Santa Barbara)

  • Karen Nylund-Gibson

    (University of California Santa Barbara)

Abstract

Managing the COVID-19 pandemic involved implementing public health policies that disrupted students’ lives, creating conditions that substantially influenced their mental health and well-being. Subsequently, research focused on the mental health sequelae of increased depression and anxiety, but the possible impacts on adolescents’ social well-being have been largely unexamined. Social well-being is essential to youth’s overall mental health and can be diminished even without symptoms of depression and anxiety. This report explored heterogeneities in changes in adolescents’ social well-being from pre-COVID-19 to post-restrictions using longitudinal data from adolescents attending middle and high schools in California (N = 1,299; 49.9% female). Data collection involved four observations. Participants completed a school-based mental health wellness survey annually from 2019 to 2022. A latent profile analysis identified five profiles demonstrating distinctive social well-being trajectories. Two ordered profiles included Stable-High (28%) and Stable-Low (26%) patterns. Three groups represented nonordered profiles labeled as Succumbing (20%), Languishing (14%), and Recovering (12%). Pervasive decreases in social well-being were observed, and a significant portion of the adolescents did not recover to their pre-COVID-19 level by 2022. Adolescents in the Stable-High and Recovering profiles showed better psychological well-being, optimism, and school connectedness and less distress than their counterparts in the other three profiles. Mental health professionals should be aware of the pandemic’s effects on adolescents’ social well-being. Lower levels of social well-being may be a risk factor for adolescents developing generally jaded attitudes about their social networks and diminishing their potential engagement with sources of social support.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael J. Furlong & Mei-ki Chan & Erin Dowdy & Karen Nylund-Gibson, 2024. "Diminished Adolescent Social Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 17(2), pages 901-930, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:17:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s12187-024-10108-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-024-10108-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robert Cummins, 2010. "Subjective Wellbeing, Homeostatically Protected Mood and Depression: A Synthesis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 1-17, March.
    2. Tanja Capic & Ning Li & Robert A. Cummins, 2018. "Confirmation of Subjective Wellbeing Set-Points: Foundational for Subjective Social Indicators," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 137(1), pages 1-28, May.
    3. Adrian Tomyn & Robert Cummins, 2011. "Subjective Wellbeing and Homeostatically Protected Mood: Theory Validation With Adolescents," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 12(5), pages 897-914, October.
    4. Marcin Gierczyk & Edyta Charzyńska & Dagmara Dobosz & Hewilia Hetmańczyk & Ewa Jarosz, 2022. "Subjective Well-Being of Primary and Secondary School Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Latent Profile Analysis," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(6), pages 2115-2140, December.
    5. Robert Cummins & Ning Li & Mark Wooden & Mark Stokes, 2014. "A Demonstration of Set-Points for Subjective Wellbeing," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 183-206, February.
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