“Today’s young people are the adults who will shape society in the future. That is why we really need to start thinking about what kind of society we want to have after the coronavirus crisis. In all the discussions, we are focusing too much on the short term,” Crone believes.
Over the past few months, she has researched the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on young people. The findings show that the crisis has had a considerable impact on them. The second wave and the accompanying measures in particular are taking a heavy toll on young people.
“In May, we saw that the ‘younger’ young people were still doing quite well. They said they felt strong. But that was less true of the students. They reported higher levels of tension and depression,” says Crone. “The closer they are to adulthood, the greater the burden.”
The same patterns emerged from the November study, although the ‘younger’ young people were also doing less well by then. “They are now also feeling the impact of the crisis,” says Crone. “Although, by comparison, the students are still doing considerably worse.”
Countermovement
We need to think more about young people throughout this crisis, the researcher emphasizes. “You should not only give them tips on how to get out of their slump, but also meet their need to contribute to society. Involve them; that is extremely important.”
According to Crone, this means that the government or municipality should not simply launch another program or campaign, but should create it together with young people. “When something is designed for young people, they often do not like it, as we know from previous research.” Crone advises municipalities on these kinds of issues.
“If, as a young person, you have no opportunities to develop prosocial skills, that shapes you in a negative way. If you never experience the good feeling that comes from helping others, you end up with adults who do not know that feeling.”
Crone even expects a countermovement. “They will not allow themselves to be locked up indefinitely. Everything in those young people says: I want to get out! Let’s think about what happens after January 19. Young people say: we can certainly endure a lockdown, as long as we know what we will be allowed to do afterward.”
How was the study conducted?
In May, two months after the first lockdown, a study was conducted involving a total of 900 young people. This included 500 young people aged 13–20 and 400 students. These young people completed a questionnaire every day for two weeks. The same study was repeated in November. Youth panels were also set up, in which young people were asked about their experiences.