Adolescence, according to the WHO, is the period of growth that ranges between 10 and 19 years. It is a stage of transition to adulthood, in which growth and changes accelerate. It is a moment in which the child’s personality is strengthened, so achieving adequate development of social skills is key to their integration into the adult world. Social isolation during this period can have consequences on their development.
Already, during childhood, the first social skills begin to be established through interaction with other children and observation. These help them to achieve healthy relationships with other children, learn to communicate and express what they feel or want, manage emotions, show empathy, etc. During this first stage, it is the parents and close family that act as a measure of learning. However, when adolescence is reached, the family takes a back seat and it is friends and the feeling of belonging to the group that play a major role in the adolescent’s development.
Social skills
The adolescent, during this stage, is able to achieve a better understanding of abstract concepts and to reflect on the facts, in addition, they begin to make decisions that involve greater risk. This improvement in information processing and knowledge of their own abilities promote self-esteem.
The skills that are developed in this stage are:
- Assertiveness: the ability to defend one’s own ideas against those of others, without damaging or offending the contrary.
- Attachment: the ability to bond with other people.
- Self control: the ability to control feelings or emotions in certain situations.
- Empathy: the ability to put yourself in the place of the other and understand their feelings.
- Communication: the ability of the adolescent to express their ideas, emotions and requests correctly. Both verbally and through gestures.
- Interpret situations: the ability to understand what is happening in a situation beyond words.
- Conflict resolution: the ability to understand or solve problems, reflecting on or evaluating the different options.
Consequences of social isolation
The closure of schools and the social distancing imposed due to the appearance of Covid-19 can represent a stagnation or delay in the development of the adolescent’s social skills, harming the natural evolutionary process for the establishment of their personality.
The most likely psychological consequences to appear are:
- Depression or apathy. Prolonged and forced isolation can lead to a lack of interest in their usual tasks or in learning new ones, causing school problems.
- Fear of going out. The creation of strict hygiene and safety protocols, in addition to all the news that have been heard during confinement about the contagion capacity of the virus, increases anxiety when going outside and the fear of being infected. Fears generate low self-esteem.
- Feeling misunderstood. In this period, the group of friends is the adolescent’s main support, generally, he feels misunderstood by his family and rejects their help. Not being able to communicate effectively with your friends helps your emotions run to the surface and your reactions to any situation are more exaggerated, you are more irritable and less reflective.
The Covid-19 pandemic represents a great challenge for children, adolescents and adults alike. Establishing positive and fluid communication between all parties helps to improve conduct, behavior and the ability to cope with problems.
