Factors associated with the decrease in depression among adolescents during the first Covid-19 lockdown, a Natural experiment
Factors associated with the decrease in depression among adolescents during the first Covid-19 lockdown, a Natural experiment

Summary/Abstract: Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions have caused unprecedented interruptions to the daily lives of children and adolescents. This unusual situation has brought stress, fear, economic problems, limited access to health services, leisure time or sport opportunities as well as a lack of social support from important people. All of these changes were related to changes in adolescents' emotional experiences. The main aim of this natural experiment was to find out the degree in which of family factors, peer factors and adolescent neuroticism played in changes in depression after the first COVID-19 lockdown. Method: The data for T1 were collected in February 2020 and a follow-up (T2) was conducted in May 2020. In total, 155 adolescents participated in both waves (mean age 14.5 years, 60.4% girls). We used the abbreviated Kutcher Adolescent Depression Scale, Psychological Control Scale - Youth Self-Report, Feelings of Being Overly Controlled scale. One question was aimed towards satisfaction with the relationship with the mother and one question was aimed towards relationship with friends. Supportive relationships at home was measured by a subscale from the Resilience and Youth Development Module, and neuroticism was measured by a highly shortened version of the Big Five Inventory. In order to analyse the changes in the variables, paired t-tests were used. Furthermore, multiple linear regression was used to analyse the predictors of the changes in depression. Results: The results show statistically significant decreases in depression (p<001), perceived maternal psychological control (p<001), feelings of being overly controlled by the mother (p=.017) and satisfaction with relationships with mother (p=.049) and friends (p=.011). The reduction in depression was statistically significantly related to the reduction in the level of psychological control by the mother (p=.004). At the same time, it can be said that the less the satisfaction with the relationship with friends decreased, the more pronounced the reduction in depression was in adolescents (p=.001). The change in psychological control (Beta = .408) by the mother and change in satisfaction with relationships with friends (Beta = -.428) were the strongest predictors in the model. Conclusion: The study took the opportunity to compare the data collected just before the schools were closed due to the first COVID-19 wave and the data obtained 2 months later.

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