Pandemic Positives?
Back in the Spring, we found ourselves dealing with various challenges – one being quarantine. Our daily rituals became limited to our spaces at home and social interactions became increasingly digital. During that time, some may have wondered, “How will this impact my child?”
Over 1,500 US teens were surveyed between May and July about “their mental health, family time, sleep, and technology” to identify mental well-being in four areas: life satisfaction, happiness, symptoms of depression, and loneliness. The findings were compared to identical questions from a similar survey in 2018.
The results – for me – were unexpected but encouraging.
Although life had become virtual with online learning and parents working from home, teens’ use of technology shifted. Previous studies revealed “screen time, especially time using social media, has been associated with mental health issues in teens.” During quarantine, teens were “spending more time video chatting, watching TV, videos and movies…and they spent less time gaming, texting, and using social media.” Considering the latter digital environments are prone to toxic interactions, it is theorized that selecting more passive platforms and face-to-face video chatting removed teens from environments that are more strongly associated with poor mental health.
Teens sleep habits and family experience changed, too. As reported by the publication:
o 84% of teens were sleeping 7 hours or more compared to 55% in 2018
o Majority of teens described increased family time
o 56% reported spending more time with family than before pandemic
o 54% reported eating dinner with family more often
o 68% reported their families had become closer
The compilation of more sleep, increased family time with siblings and parents, and decreased social media had a positive impact on teens’ wellbeing. Hence, the additional reported statistic that “53 percent of teens said that [quarantining] made them feel stronger and more resilient.”
Returning to a quarantine lifestyle is far beyond my preference, however, acknowledging the benefits that emerged – especially for teens – may be worth prioritizing and still pursuing.