Early adolescent predictors of young adults’ stress experiences and coping during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a longitudinal cohort study

Annekatrin Steinhoff*, Lydia Johnson Ferguson, Laura Bechtinger, Aja Louise Murray, Urs Hepp, Denis Ribeaud, Manuel Eisner, Lilly Shanahan

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

We examined early adolescent predictors of later distress and adaptive coping in early adulthood, using data from a prospective longitudinal cohort study (n = 786). In early adolescence (age 13), we assessed indicators of mental health (internalizing symptoms), stressor exposure (cumulative stressful life events), and family socialization (supportive parent–child interactions). In early adulthood (age 22), during the first COVID-19-related Swiss national lockdown, we assessed cumulative pandemic-related stressors, distress (poor well-being, hopelessness, and perceived disruptions to life) and adaptive coping. Early adolescent internalizing symptoms predicted lower well-being, more hopelessness, and perceived lifestyle disruptions in early adulthood, during the pandemic. Cumulative stressful life events during early adolescence moderated the association between cumulative pandemic-related stressors and perceived lifestyle disruptions. Supportive parent–child interactions fostered subsequent engagement in adaptive coping, which, in turn, predicted less hopelessness and better well-being. Findings reveal that early adolescent development is linked with distress and adaptive coping in later periods.
Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Early Adolescence
Early online date10 Jun 2023
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 10 Jun 2023

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • coping
  • stressful events
  • pandemic
  • longitudinal

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