The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on adolescent socialization in Slovakia

Abstract

This thesis explores the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent socialisation in Slovakia. The thesis bases its literature on the vast scope of research on the COVID-19 pandemic by authors in fields of psychology, neurology, and public health. This research is based on qualitative method of scientific research using phenomenological approaches. Data is based on personal reflections of adolescents recounting their experiences during the pandemic. A different set of data is collected from using semi structured interviews based on an interview guide aiming to explore participants experience through reflection during the Covid pandemic, the study is underpinned by Bronfenbrenner's ecological model helping to analyse the role of society in socialisation and the impact of covid restrictions on the various agents through which adolescents socialize. The study explored adolescents’ socialization pre-pandemic, the pandemic restrictions in Slovakia and how these restrictions affected adolescents’ daily life. The findings of the study showed the impact of social isolation on adolescents in the larger societal context of adolescents in Slovakia. It reinstates the role and significance of all agents of socialisation in the development processes during adolescence, highlighting the struggles faced by adolescents in adolescents social, health, familial and educational, and peer relationships. Both data sets recorded significant reflections on mental health issues caused by the prolonged waves of the pandemic, with adolescents, with predisposed conditions, experiencing them more. The study reveals other factors significantly affecting how adolescents fared during the pandemic, being family situations individual resilience. Adolescents duly substituted their means of socialisation reporting heightened use of technology, although it could not sufficiently compensate for physical interactions with peers. Online learning proved to be difficult for participants of this study reporting difficulty in concentration, loss of school experiences and impersonal relationship experiences with teachers and classmates. The thesis highlights the importance of interdisciplinary work in social work practice. It concludes with suggestions on how social workers could play roles to help adolescents with adjustments during future crisis situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic through advocacy, education, and non-formal engagements.