It is clear that corona is turning the world of young people upside down. Not attending school (physically), sitting at home more often and having fewer social contacts. And that can affect them later in life, says professor of developmental psychology and adolescent knitting expert Eveline Crone of Erasmus University Rotterdam.
“The young people of today are the adults who will soon make up society. That is why we really have to start thinking about what kind of a society we want, later after the corona crisis. We now look too much at the short term in all discussions,” says Crone. .
In recent months she has been researching the effect of the corona pandemic on young people. This shows that the crisis has had a significant impact on them. The second wave and accompanying measures are particularly hard for the young.
Student Ali hardly has any physical lessons. Little motivates him anymore, and that causes depressive thoughts:
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‘I’m afraid of depression, I already have trouble getting out of bed before class’
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“In May, we saw that the ‘young’ youngsters were still doing quite well. They indicated that they felt powerful. But the students were less so. Their feelings of tension and depression were higher,” says Crone. “The closer to young adulthood, the greater the burden.”
The same patterns emerged from the November study, although the ‘young’ youngsters were now doing less well. “They are now also experiencing the impact of the crisis,” says Crone. “Although the students are still doing a lot worse in comparison.”
Countermovement
We have to think more about the young in this whole crisis, the researcher emphasizes. “You should not only give them tips on how to get out of their dip, but also meet the need they have to contribute to society. Get them involved, that’s very important.”
This means that, according to Crone, as a government or municipality you should not just set up a program or campaign again, but should do so together with young people. “If it was devised for young people, they often don’t like it, we know from previous studies.” Crone advises municipalities on these kinds of points.
“As a young person, if you don’t have the opportunity to develop pro-social skills, it shapes you in a negative way. If you don’t experience a good feeling to help others, then you get adults who don’t know that feeling. . “
Crone even expects a countermovement. “They will not let themselves be locked up endlessly. Everything in those young people says: I want to go out! Let’s think about after January 19. Young people indicate: we can lockdown really sit out, as long as we know what we can do afterwards. “
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NOS op 3 went into therapy: why do young people in particular feel so bad, and: what can you do about it?
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Corona dip? NOS op 3 will go into therapy for you
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