The COVID-19 pandemic upended life for individuals and communities worldwide. Social isolation, health mandates, illness, and economic hardships took a toll on the well-being of families and children, but there were also silver linings to people's experiences. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign looks at impacts of the pandemic among youth and parents across the U.S. Midwest. Their findings can help provide insights for future policy and public health measures.
- Marianne Stein
"We were interested in understanding the lived experiences of different types of people during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly families and children. We wanted to come in without preconceived notions and judgment, learning about people's concerns and where they find value and joy," said lead author Jacinda K. Dariotis, professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies and director of the Family Resiliency Center (FRC), both part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at Illinois. Dariotis is also a Health Innovation Professor in the Carle Illinois College of Medicine.
Co-author Rebecca Smith, associate professor of epidemiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine and HIP faculty at Illinois, seconded this perspective: "When big outbreaks and pandemics happen, we have mostly studied them from the point of view of disease transmission or of financial impact, but people's experiences are just as important. We are documenting lessons learned that will help in the future."
Toward the end of the pandemic in 2022, the researchers surveyed parents with youth aged 12 to 17 as well as the young people themselves to better understand the lived experiences of each during the pandemic. Parents were asked to describe changes they observed in their two oldest children, while youth described changes in themselves. Both groups were asked about their overall experience during the pandemic. Based on responses from 479 participants, the research team identified nine overarching themes.
Major themes
The pandemic's effect on the structures and rhythms of daily life, including public health mandates, altered many aspects of development, interactions and connections with others, feelings of loss and grief, and financial security. Families also found creative adaptations to cope with their situation and shifted their priorities and contexts.
"One of the first themes that emerged was about maturity and personal development. Some parents reported their children were developing a little faster than anticipated, showing greater empathy, independence, and willingness to assume responsibilities," said co-author Dana Eldreth, senior research scientist at FRC. "Youth also reported they developed greater confidence and self-esteem, although some felt pressure to grow up faster."
Conversely, some parents found the pandemic contributed to developmental delays for their children, particularly speech and socialization delays for young children who weren't able to attend daycare and interact with similar-aged peers.
COVID-19 led to widespread anxiety and sadness among adults and youth, driven by fears of illness and death, and further exacerbated by social isolation. This was especially pronounced for adolescents and mothers of small children. "We also heard from women who were pregnant during the pandemic that the isolation, remote health care visits, and lack of being able to rely on support from family members really impacted their experience and created a deep sense of sadness," Eldreth said.
People experienced grief and loss in many ways. "There was grief over the death of loved ones, but also the grief of losing out on social relationships and missing important milestones such as graduations and birthday parties. People are social beings, and these experiences were hugely impactful, not just in the moment but also long term," Dariotis noted.
The pandemic shifted family dynamics and priorities. Some parents and youth appreciated the opportunity to spend more time together and cultivate new activities. However, family time could also lead to increased stress and conflict, particularly for people who had to manage work and childcare responsibilities.
Parents and youth described how differences in views on pandemic policies and vaccines caused strained relationships with family members, friends, and co-workers. These conflicts led to reduced interaction, damaged relationships, and lasting feelings of personal loss.
Families and individuals developed different ways to cope and regulate emotions. "Some people took the time to engage in therapy or consider pharmacological treatment. They experienced positive benefits from taking a step back and focusing on the importance of their mental health," Eldreth said. "Others found less healthy ways to cope, such as substance abuse or excessive use of video games."
Online schooling placed significant strain on families. Parents had to take on additional responsibilities and change family routines to support their children, and they had to adapt to remote learning and new technology. Online schooling also underscored existing gaps in digital access and educational equity.
The pandemic mandates elicited different reactions. "Some people took solace in the fact that there were vaccines and mask mandates. Others felt it was infringing on their personal liberties and implemented too quickly, leading to a distrust in government and public health officials," Dariotis said.
Lessons learned
While the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic was a mixed bag for many families, the study emphasizes the need to honor those experiences and unpack the values and contexts that inform them, the researchers noted.
"One of the big messages for public health is that one size does not fit all. We need tailored responses to meet the unique needs of everyone. The only way you can design effective communication and mitigation plans is by talking to people where they are without judgment," Smith said.
"For people who are very critical of masks and vaccines, the answer is not to provide more information; it's to rebuild trust and relationships, which is much harder to do, but it is more effective. It starts with listening to people and respecting their lived experiences as their truth."
Most respondents reported both thorns and silver linings, but some people disproportionately experienced negative consequences during COVID-19. Those who had structures and resources in place to help them cope were better able to thrive, whereas essential workers or those who faced job loss and financial strain struggled. The pandemic exacerbated pre-existing systemic inequities in access to healthcare, educational resources, stable employment, and other resources, the researchers said.
"Moving forward, were a new pandemic to occur, we should believe in the resilience of individuals while we also make sure that we have the resources and infrastructure in place to create the safety nets that are necessary for people to flourish," Dariotis concluded.
The paper, "Covid Was a Worldwide Pandemic That Caused Trauma for Everyone... There Were Also 'Silver-linings'" - Adult and Youth Qualitative Perspectives," is published in the American Journal of Qualitative Research [DOI: 10.29333/ajqr/16281]. The research was supported by the Institute of Government and Public Affairs (IGPA; University of Illinois System, under Grant #22910).
