Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Urban Teenagers and their Response and Resilience

Abstract

Teenage is the phase of multiple transitions which involve biological as well as psychological changes. G Stanley Hall referred to this age category as ‘storm and stress’ because of the difficulties and disturbances associated with it. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought an unprecedented challenge for teenagers, adding to their woes. Sudden lockdown, school closure, confinement at home, and other challenges brought an entirely different set of areas of concern for them. Based on the empirical findings, this paper has attempted to explore and understand the challenges faced by adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic concerning the changes that occurred in their daily lives. It is based on the data collected through an online questionnaire from 127 teenagers and in-depth interviews with 11 school-going students from Delhi. The domains studied are changes and challenges at the levels of health, well-being, studies, exams, career anxieties, familial relations, and changing dynamics of relationships with schoolmates and peers. It also tries to understand responses and resilience among teenagers during the lockdown period. The paper provides suggestive interventions for creating a facilitative environment to reduce anxieties among teenagers and ensure their health and well-being.

Keywords: Teenagers, COVID-19, Lockdown, Coping, Resilience

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