“Covid Was a Worldwide Pandemic That Caused Trauma for Everyone... There Were Also ‘Silver-linings’” – Adult and Youth Qualitative Perspectives

Jacinda Dariotis; Dana Eldreth; Sohyeon Kim; Liza Berdychevsky; Ye Rang Park; Rebecca Smith

doi:10.29333/ajqr/16281

Jacinda Dariotis ¹ ^* , Dana Eldreth ², Sohyeon Kim ², Liza Berdychevsky ², Ye Rang Park ³, Rebecca Smith ²

More Detail

AM J QUALITATIVE RES, Volume 9, Issue 2, pp. 176-206

https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/16281

OPEN ACCESS 122 Views 93 Downloads

Download Full Text (PDF)

Abstract

The global COVID-19 pandemic had both detrimental and positive impacts on children, youth, and families. To inform policy and public health recommendations for future services, resources, and mandates, there is a need to take a more holistic approach to understanding stress, adaptations, role shifts, and resilience from multiple perspectives. Using an open-ended question format, this study surveyed parents, childcare providers, and youth (ages 12-17) about their experiences with the pandemic in general and changes observed in their children (adult participants) and themselves (youth participants). Data from 479 participants were analyzed. Via thematic content analysis, nine themes emerged that are organized into five categories: (1) Developmental, (2) impact on loss, (3) modified connections with others, (4) adjustment, and (5) mandate and financial woes. With developmental maturity also came developmental delays. Participants reported heightened anxiety, sadness, and fear of death and illness that is related to the fact that many experienced grief in many ways. Participants reported a variety of adaptive coping strategies that helped them appear resilient. The change to online schooling was particularly challenging for many parents and educators. Some perceived the pandemic mandates to be harmful without alternatives being considered. There is a cautionary tale to be told about public health acceptance and relevance for physical, psychological, and financial health. Families shifted their priorities. Connections with others were strained due to different opinions. Recommendations are offered in preparation for future pandemics that may help families, adults, and youth experience more silver linings and fewer thorns.

Keywords: COVID-19, parents, perspectives, qualitative, youth

References

Andrade, C., Gillen, M., Molina, J. A., & Wilmarth, M. J. (2022). The social and economic impact of Covid-19 on family functioning and well-being: Where do we go from here? Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 43(2), 205–212. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-022-09848-x
Andrews, N., Tessier, E., Stowe, J., Gower, C., Kirsebom, F., Simmons, R., Gallagher, E., Thelwall, S., Groves, N., Dabrera, G., Myers, R., Campbell, C., Amirthalingram, G., Edmunds, M., Zambon, M., Brown, K., Hopkins, S., Chand, M., Landhani, S. M., ... Lopez Bernal, J. (2022). Duration of protection against mild and severe disease by Covid-19 vaccines. New England Journal of Medicine, 386(4), 340–350. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa2115481
Bambra, C., Lynch, J., & Smith, K. E. (2021). The unequal pandemic: COVID-19 and health inequalities. Policy Press.
Bardosh, K., De Figueiredo, A., Gur-Arie, R., Jamrozik, E., Doidge, J., Lemmens, T., Keshavjee, S., Graham, J. E., & Baral, S. (2022). The unintended consequences of COVID-19 vaccine policy: Why mandates, passports and restrictions may cause more harm than good. BMJ Global Health, 7(5), Article e008684. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2022-008684
Baumer-Mouradian, S. H., Hart, R. J., Bone, J. N., Seiler, M., Olson, P., Keitel, K., Manzano, S., Gualco, G., Krupik, D., Schroter, S., Weigert, R. M., Chung, S., Thompson, G. C., Muhammad, N., Shah, P., Gaucher, N. O., Lunoe, M. M., Evers, M., Pharisa Rochat, C., ... Goldman, R. D. (2022). Should COVID-19 vaccines be mandated in schools? An international caregiver perspective. Vaccine, 40(36), 5384–5390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.07.038
Benninger, E., Schmidt-Sane, M., & Hajski, A. (2023). Youth lens: Youth perspectives on the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on well-being in an urban community. International Journal on Child Maltreatment: Research, Policy and Practice, 6, 367–392. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42448-022-00130-z
Bhushan, B., Basu, S., & Ganai, U. J. (2022). Post-traumatic stress and growth among the children and adolescents in the aftermath of COVID-19. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, Article 791263. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.791263
Borchet, J., Hooper, L. M., Tomek, S., Schneider, W. S., & Dębski, M. (2022). Parentification in polish adolescents: A prevalence study. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 15(3), 567–583. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-021-00411-8
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1977). Toward an experimental ecology of human development. American Psychologist, 32(7), 513–531. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.32.7.513
Carver, C. S. (1998). Resilience and thriving: Issues, models, and linkages. Journal of Social Issues, 54(2), 245–266. https://doi.org/10.1111/0022-4537.641998064
Dariotis, J. K., Eldreth, D. A., Xi, C., Noor, I., & Smith, R. L. (2025). A mixed methods study protocol: COVID-19 experiences among adults, youth, and childcare providers [Manuscript submitted for publication]. Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
First Focus on Children. (2022, March 12). Fact sheet: Kids and COVID by the numbers. https://firstfocus.org/resources/fact-sheet/kids-and-covid-by-the-numbers**
Frith, H., & Gleeson, K. (2008). Dressing the body: The role of clothing in sustaining body pride and managing body distress. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 5(4), 249–264. https://doi.org/10.1080/14780880701752950
Gillman, M. W., & Hammond, R. A. (2016). Precision treatment and precision prevention: Integrating “below and above the skin”. JAMA Pediatrics, 170(1), 9–10. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.2786
Grannis, S. J., Rowley, E. A., Ong, T. C., Stenehjem, E., Klein, N. P., DeSilva, M. B., Klein, N. P., DeSilva, M. B., Naleway, A. L., Natarajan, K., & Thompson, M. G. (2021). Interim estimates of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19–associated emergency department or urgent care clinic encounters and hospitalizations among adults during SARS-CoV-2 B. 1.617. 2 (Delta) variant predominance—nine states, June–August 2021. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 70(37), 1291–1293. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7037e2
Gupta, S., Cantor, J., Simon, K. I., Bento, A. I., Wing, C., & Whaley, C. M. (2021). Vaccinations against COVID-19 may have averted up to 140,000 deaths in the United States: Study examines role of COVID-19 vaccines and deaths averted in the United States. Health Affairs, 40(9), 1465–1472. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2021.00619
Haeder, S. F. (2021). Joining the herd? US public opinion and vaccination requirements across educational settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccine, 39(17), 2375–2385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.03.055
Heerman, W. J., Gross, R., Lampkin, J., Nmoh, A., Eatwell, S., Delamater, A. M., Sanders, L., Rothman, R. L., Yin, H. S., Perrin, E. M., & Flower, K. B. (2022). How COVID-19 impacted child and family health and healthcare: A mixed-methods study incorporating family voices. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 12(3), 466–479. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibab166
Hernandez, R. A., & Colaner, C. (2022). “The stakes are so high and it’s happening so fast”: Adult children’s perceptions of family role shifts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 39(7), 1959–1978. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075221074380
Hume, S., Brown, S. R., & Mahtani, K. R. (2023). School closures during COVID-19: An overview of systematic reviews. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, 28(3), 164–174. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjebm-2022-112085
Karaivanov, A., Kim, D., Lu, S. E., & Shigeoka, H. (2022). COVID-19 vaccination mandates and vaccine uptake. Nature Human Behaviour, 6(12), 1615–1624. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-022-01363-1
Khoury, M. J., Iademarco, M. F., & Riley, W. T. (2016). Precision public health for the era of precision medicine. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 50(3), 398–401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2015.08.031
Kowalski, R. M., Carroll, H., & Britt, J. (2022). Finding the silver lining in the COVID-19 crisis. Journal of Health Psychology, 27(6), 1507–1514. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105321999088
Kreps, S. E., & Kriner, D. L. (2022). How do COVID-19 vaccine mandates affect attitudes toward the vaccine and participation in mandate-affected activities? Evidence from the United States. Vaccine, 40(51), 7460–7465. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.02.083
Landi, G., Pakenham, K. I., Cattivelli, R., Grandi, S., & Tossani, E. (2022). Caregiving responsibilities and mental health outcomes in young adult carers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(22), Article 15149. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215149
Mayol-Garcia, Y. (2022, January). Pandemic brought parents and children closer: More family dinners, more reading to young children. United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2022/01/parents-and-children-interacted-more-during-covid-19.html
Minuchin, P. (1985). Families and individual development: Provocations from the field of family therapy. Child Development, 56(2), 289–302. https://doi.org/10.2307/1129720
Nandlall, N., Hawke, L. D., Hayes, E., Darnay, K., Daley, M., Relihan, J., & Henderson, J. (2022). Learning through a pandemic: Youth experiences with remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sage Open, 12(3), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221124122
Oberg, C., Hodges, H. R., Gander, S., Nathawad, R., & Cutts, D. (2022). The impact of COVID-19 on children's lives in the United States: Amplified inequities and a just path to recovery. Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care, 52(7), Article 101181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cppeds.2022.101181
Oliveira, V. H., Martins, P. C., & Carvalho, G. S. (2024). Children’s daily activities and well-being during the COVID-19 lockdown: Associations with child and family characteristics. Current Psychology, 43(9), 8346–8357. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-02759-y
Paroline, Z., Collyer, S., & Curran, M. A. (2022, February). Absence of monthly Child Tax Credit leads to 3.7 million more children in poverty in January 2022. Columbia University Center on Poverty and Social Policy. http://www.povertycenter.columbia.edu/publication/monthly-poverty-january-2022
Partington, L. C., Mashash, M., & Hastings, P. D. (2022). Family thriving during COVID-19 and the benefits for children’s well-being. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 879195. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.879195
Patterson, J. M. (2002). Understanding family resilience. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(3), 233–246. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.10019
Rutter, M., & Sroufe, L. A. (2000). Developmental psychopathology: Concepts and challenges. Development and Psychopathology, 12(3), 265–296. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954579400003023
Scobie, H. M., Johnson, A. G., Suthar, A. B., Severson, R., Alden, N. B., Balter, S., Bertolino, D., Blythe D., Brady, S., Cadwell, B., Cheng, I., Davidson, S., Delgadillo, J., Devinney, K., Duchin, J., Duwell, M., Fisher, R., Fleischauer, A., Grant, A., ... Silk, B. J. (2021). Monitoring incidence of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, by vaccination status: 13 US jurisdictions, April 4–July 17, 2021. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 70(37), 1284–1290. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7037e1
Somogyi, N., Nagy, B., Geambașu, R., & Gergely, O. (2022). ‘The children, the family, the household, and myself, these made the quarantine up for me, and I was really happy with it’: Positive evaluations of the first COVID-19 lockdown among middle-class Hungarian mothers. Journal of Family Studies, 29(4), 1904–1922. https://doi.org/10.1080/13229400.2022.2103017
Stallard, P., Pereira, A. I., & Barros, L. (2021). Post-traumatic growth during the COVID-19 pandemic in carers of children in Portugal and the UK: Cross-sectional online survey. BJPsych Open, 7(1), Article e37. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2021.1
Stark, A. M., White, A. E., Rotter, N. S., & Basu, A. (2020). Shifting from survival to supporting resilience in children and families in the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons for informing US mental health priorities. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 12(S1), S133–S135. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0000781
Tang, S., Xiang, M., Cheung, T., & Xiang, Y. T. (2021). Mental health and its correlates among children and adolescents during COVID-19 school closure: The importance of parent-child discussion. Journal of Affective Disorders, 279, 353–360. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.10.016
Treglia, D., Cutuli, J. J., Arasteh, K., & Bridgeland, J. (2023). Parental and other caregiver loss due to COVID-19 in the United States: Prevalence by race, state, relationship, and child age. Journal of Community Health, 48(3), 390–397. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-022-01160-x
Ulset, V. S., & von Soest, T. (2022). Posttraumatic growth during the COVID‐19 lockdown: A large‐scale population‐based study among Norwegian adolescents. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 35(3), 941–954. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22801
VERBI Software. (2021). MAXQDA 2022 [Computer software]. maxqda.com.
Verdery, A. M., Smith-Greenaway, E., Margolis, R., & Daw, J. (2020). Tracking the reach of COVID-19 kin loss with a bereavement multiplier applied to the United States. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(30), 17695–17701. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2007476117
Walsh, F. (1996). The concept of family resilience: Crisis and challenge. Family Process, 35(3), 261–281. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1545-5300.1996.00261.x
Walsh, F. (2020). Loss and resilience in the time of COVID‐19: Meaning making, hope, and transcendence. Family Process, 59(3), 898–911. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12588
Waselewski, E., Waselewski, M., Harper, C., Dickey, S., Bell, S. A., & Chang, T. (2021). Perspectives of US youth during initial month of the COVID-19 pandemic. Annals of Family Medicine, 19(2), 141–147. https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.2642
Wenter, A., Schickl, M., Sevecke, K., Juen, B., & Exenberger, S. (2022). Children’s mental health during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic: Burden, risk factors and posttraumatic growth–a mixed-methods parents’ perspective. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 901205. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.901205
World Bank. (2021, December 6). Learning losses from COVID-19 could cost this generation of students close to $17 trillion in lifetime earnings [Press Release NO: 2022/030/HD]. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2021/12/06/learning-losses-from-covid-19-could-cost-this-generation-of-students-close-to-17-trillion-in-lifetime-earnings
Zoellner, T., & Maercker, A. (2006). Posttraumatic growth in clinical psychology: A critical review and introduction of a two component model. Clinical Psychology Review, 26(5), 626–653. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2006.01.008

Citation

Dariotis, J., Eldreth, D., Kim, S., Berdychevsky, L., Park, Y. R., & Smith, R. (2025). “Covid Was a Worldwide Pandemic That Caused Trauma for Everyone... There Were Also ‘Silver-linings’” – Adult and Youth Qualitative Perspectives. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 9(2), 176-206. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/16281

Dariotis, J., Eldreth, D., Kim, S., Berdychevsky, L., Park, Y. R., and Smith, R. (2025). “Covid Was a Worldwide Pandemic That Caused Trauma for Everyone... There Were Also ‘Silver-linings’” – Adult and Youth Qualitative Perspectives. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 9(2), pp. 176-206. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/16281

Dariotis J, Eldreth D, Kim S, Berdychevsky L, Park YR, Smith R. “Covid Was a Worldwide Pandemic That Caused Trauma for Everyone... There Were Also ‘Silver-linings’” – Adult and Youth Qualitative Perspectives. AM J QUALITATIVE RES. 2025;9(2), 176-206. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/16281

Dariotis, Jacinda, Dana Eldreth, Sohyeon Kim, Liza Berdychevsky, Ye Rang Park, and Rebecca Smith. "“Covid Was a Worldwide Pandemic That Caused Trauma for Everyone... There Were Also ‘Silver-linings’” – Adult and Youth Qualitative Perspectives". American Journal of Qualitative Research 2025 9 no. 2 (2025): 176-206. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/16281

Dariotis, Jacinda et al. "“Covid Was a Worldwide Pandemic That Caused Trauma for Everyone... There Were Also ‘Silver-linings’” – Adult and Youth Qualitative Perspectives". American Journal of Qualitative Research, vol. 9, no. 2, 2025, pp. 176-206. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/16281

Dariotis J, Eldreth D, Kim S, Berdychevsky L, Park YR, Smith R. “Covid Was a Worldwide Pandemic That Caused Trauma for Everyone... There Were Also ‘Silver-linings’” – Adult and Youth Qualitative Perspectives. AM J QUALITATIVE RES. 2025;9(2):176-206. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/16281