Relations of Adolescent Knowledge of COVID-19, Social Media Engagement, and Experiences During Quarantine/Lockdown with Well-Being

This study investigated the relations of adolescent COVID-19 knowledge, quarantine/lockdown experiences, and social media use with indices of their psychosocial adjustment. The sample consisted of 215 adolescents from throughout the United States, with adolescents ranging from ages 14 to 17. Better knowledge of COVID-19 was related to lower loneliness, stress, anxiety, depression, and fear of missing out (FoMO). Higher parent-reported restrictions during quarantine were associated with these difficulties as well. Further, the lowest anxiety was reported for adolescents with good COVID-19 knowledge who also checked social media relatively less frequently. The findings point to the importance of accurate information about COVID-19 for adolescents and the impact of quarantine/lockdown experiences on their perceived emotional and social adjustment.