The Impact of Life Environmental Satisfaction during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children and Adolescents' Social-Emotional Adjustment: A 15-Month Latent Profile Study in Italy

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16

Foreign Countries; Children; COVID-19; Pandemics; Social Adjustment; Emotional Adjustment; Life Satisfaction; Predictor Variables; Early Adolescents; Prosocial Behavior; Participation; Self Efficacy; Risk; Well Being; Environment; Adjustment (to Environment); Individual Differences; Time Perspective; Elementary School Students; Secondary School Students; Behavior Problems; Child Behavior; Screening Tests; Questionnaires

Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales; Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire

10.1080/17405629.2022.2137142

1740-5629
1740-5610

This study explored the profiles of Longitudinal Life Environmental Satisfaction (LLES) during the COVID-19 pandemic, evaluating their predicting role in social-emotional adjustment in children and early adolescents. 488 children (M[subscript age] = 8.54; SD = 0.63), and 129 early adolescents (M[subscript]age = 11.08, SD = 0.48) completed two questionnaires, pre-COVID-19 (T1) and in June 2021 (T2). Results showed two profiles, the risk profile characterized by a decrease in LLES and the second profile with stable, high levels of satisfaction. LLES profiles moderated the impact of time on children and adolescents' social-emotional adjustment. Specifically, children prosocial behaviour decreased in the risk profile, while independent participation remained stable. Self-efficacy decreased in both profiles for early adolescents, but only in the risk profile for children. Findings suggested that only children were able to benefit from systems wellbeing stability during the pandemic, improving their social-emotional adjustment. Findings supported the impact of the pandemic on social-emotional adjustment, especially for those who showed a disruption of systems satisfaction.

As Provided

2023

EJ1386622