Psychological well-being of ruminative adolescents during the transition to COVID-19 school closures: An EMA study

The impact of the pandemic on psychophysical well-being and quality of learning in the growth of adolescents (aged 11-13): a systematic review of the literature with a PRISMA method

Introduction

This study examines the social impact and psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the growth of adolescents students, aged 11-13, on well-being and learning.

Methods

Said review, therefore, will consider all the report of scientific works published since 2020 on the following platforms: SCOPUS, PsycoInfo, and Web of Science. Specifically, the research has selected all studies concerning students aged 11-13. Furthermore, the authors have restricted the scope of the study to two fundamental aspects of the above-mentioned subjects, such as their physical and psychological well-being and didactic learning following the COVID-19 pandemic. The justification for choosing such themes lies in the fact that the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the ensuing measures adopted to curb its spread have had -and very likely will continue having- sizable repercussions in the life of each individual, especially in students considered, whose psychological and physical well-being has been considerably affected.

Results

In particular, during the peak of the pandemic and its subsequent phases, the various measures issued to limit contagion have completely compromised and disregarded the rights of children and youngsters. Suddenly, leisure, sport, play, relations, and socialization disappeared from their lives. Besides, in the early stages of the pandemic, remote teaching replaced face-to-face teaching, later to become an intermittent system in the red- and orange-labelled areas of the country. Consequently, such measures have severely limited opportunities for learning, growth, curiosity and creating relationships that are typical of both a school and outside environment. Concerning the well-being of the subjects considered, a review of the target literature indicates a wide range of psychological and physical disorders, such as malaise, eating and sleep disorders, addiction to games, internet, alcohol, and drugs. For what regards, instead, the realm of learning, most studies highlight a diminished school performance as the main implication of remote teaching. Furthermore, a remarkable number of studies reveals substantial social inequalities; specifically, students coming from middle class families have managed to maintain higher quality educational standards in a critical context such as the pandemic, while those students coming from socially disadvantaged families have had fewer learning opportunities both in terms of time and range of experiences (due to lack of electronic devices, Internet connectivity, homework, continuity of after-school activities). In summary, if the school system pre-COVID-19 already presented significant limitations in its ability to reduce existing social inequalities, school closures during lockdowns pose enormous challenges in developing effective policies to compensate learning losses and inequalities.

Discussion

Therefore, based on the results shown, the necessity arises of an emergency plan with social and educational objectives to restore those social, emotional, and cognitive abilities that are compromised. In general, it is the responsibility of countries and governments to guarantee the right to education in these difficult times, while avoiding any type of inequalities and establishing a digital learning system, that allows to face situations such as those generated by the Coronavirus, thus preventing those situations of serious anxiety and stress that have affected most subjects.

Academic stress and academic burnout in adolescents: a moderated mediating model

Objective

This study aims to investigate the relationship and mechanisms of action among academic stress, academic anxiety, academic self-efficacy, and academic burnout among adolescents.

Methods

A study of 929 Chinese adolescents (53.71% males, mean age = 11.94 years, SD = 0.77) was conducted using the Study Stress Questionnaire, Academic Anxiety Subscale, Junior Middle School Students' Learning Weariness Scale, and the Academic Self-efficacy Questionnaire.

Results

①Academic stress was significantly and positively correlated with academic anxiety and academic burnout, and significantly and negatively correlated with academic self-efficacy. ②Academic anxiety partially mediated the relationship between academic stress and academic burnout. ③Academic self-efficacy significantly moderated the direct effect of academic stress on academic burnout, and higher academic self-efficacy could buffer the negative effect of academic stress. ④Academic self-efficacy significantly moderated the second half of the mediated model's path (academic anxiety → academic burnout), that is, low academic self-efficacy amplified the risk effect of academic anxiety on academic burnout.

Conclusion

Academic anxiety partially mediates the relationship between academic stress and academic burnout, and this mediating role is moderated by academic self-efficacy.