Abstract
Purpose
This study was conducted to find out how the COVID-19 pandemic affects the lives of
adolescents and their expectations about the future.
Methods
Data for the study was collected using a descriptive qualitative research design.
The sample included 24 adolescents between the ages of 15 and 17, who were recruited
according to the purposive sampling method. The research questions and results were
structured according to the Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Theory. Data were collected
until saturation was achieved. NVivo 12 program was used to organize the data. The
transcribed data were analyzed using the inductive thematic analysis method.
Findings
According to the adolescents' views on the pandemic, were identified twelve sub-themes
connected to four main themes and twenty-four metaphor themes in accordance with the
Ecological Theory. These were (a) Microenvironments, (b) Education and social life,
(c) Ecological lifestyle, (d) Future expectations, and (e) metaphor themes about COVID-19.
Moreover, adolescents reported negative opinions on all metaphors.
Implications for practice: The restrictions applied as measures of control to the
global pandemic mostly negatively affected the family and peer relations of adolescents,
their academic and social lives, and their expectations about the future. This study
demonstrates that it is possible to monitor the psychosocial development of adolescents
according to the Ecological Theory.
Implications for research
Similar studies may be conducted based on the Ecological Theory to evaluate the development
of adolescents after the pandemic.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 19, 2022
Accepted:
May 11,
2022
Received in revised form:
May 10,
2022
Received:
December 21,
2021
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
