Effect of COVID-19 and Related Lockdown on Young People’s Worries and Emotions in the Israeli Context

Introduction/Objective: The outbreak of COVID-19 has undoubtedly impacted all sections of the population across countries and continents. Here, we describe the additional challenges that Israeli adolescents had to face due to the pandemic and the ensuing lockdown, besides the difficulties posed by socio-political turmoil in Israel. In particular, the current cross-sectional study aimed to explore experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown among Israeli adolescents. 

Methods: A sample of 306 Israeli adolescents (mean age 15.32 ± 1.81 years) was assessed on the level of social restrictions experienced, daily routines, and emotional climate (i.e., worries, negative affect, and anhedonia). 

Results: Our results showed that while most participants (95.04%; 51.04% males) did not personally experience the infection, they reported worrying about their studies (43.14%) and about the health of relatives and friends (34.97%). Females reported being more isolated (t(292) =-2.77, p=.01), having higher negative affect (t(292) = -4.198, p=.02), and reported greater impact of the pandemic on their study (t(292) =-2.44, p=.02), finance (t(292) =-3.10, p=.002), and emotions (t(292) =-2.44, p=.02) than males. Both genders did not differ in their levels of anhedonia, which was low (t(292) = 1.27, p=.20). 

Conclusion: Results underscore the impact of the pandemic on the academic and social lives of youth and the content of their worries. In the special context of Israel, a country that has undergone significant nationwide challenges, these results indicate the resilience of young people alongside elevated levels of worry and negative emotions.