Changes in Daily Life Due to COVID-19: Increased 'Irritation' Among Adolescents and 'Depression' Among Caregivers

Korea Youth Counseling and Welfare Institute Conducts Survey of Youth Aged 9-24 and Their Guardians
Youth Struggle Most with Not Meeting Friends
Guardians Report Difficulty Managing Increased Media Use by Children

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] Due to the changes in daily life caused by the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), adolescents identified the most difficult aspect as the disconnection from friends, while guardians responded that guiding their children's daily lives was the most challenging.

On the 6th, the Korea Youth Counseling and Welfare Institute under the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced the results of an online survey on the living conditions and coping measures of adolescents and guardians due to COVID-19. The survey was conducted with 198 guardians of adolescents aged 9 to 24 and 92 adolescents.

Adolescents answered that not being able to meet friends (72%) was the most difficult point. They also expressed difficulties due to disrupted daily rhythms (64.6%) and the implementation of online school openings (64%). Feelings of frustration from refraining from going out were reported by 62.2%, anxiety about not knowing when COVID-19 will end (57.3%), and uncertainty about academics and career paths (53.7%) were also noted as hardships.

Guardians cited increased media usage by their children (77.8%), irregular daily habits (74.2%), contraction of daily life (71.7%), and personal hygiene management as challenges, along with vague worries and anxiety (63.1%) and increased burden of childcare (63.1%).

It was found that adolescents most frequently experienced irritation (36.6%), while guardians most often felt depression (38.4%). The institute analyzed that anxiety and fear among adolescents aged 17 to 19 were higher compared to other age groups due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation, as high school students were most affected by school closures and online school openings.

As a stress coping method, most adolescents (86.6%) and guardians (91.4%) responded that they try to strictly follow hygiene rules. Responses indicating coping with stress by sharing difficult emotions with family or friends were relatively low, and the use of professional counseling services was also low among both adolescents (9.7%) and guardians (5.1%). About 30% of adolescents responded that they do not know how to cope with stress, revealing vulnerability in stress management.

A counseling center official stated, "We are conducting parent education programs and one-on-one non-face-to-face regular online counseling through the Youth Cyber Counseling Center," and added, "If you are experiencing psychological difficulties, you can inquire at 'Youth Phone 1388' to receive detailed information."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.