Adolescents’ Experience of Stress: A Focus Group Interview Study with 16–19-Year-Old Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Camilla Perming, Åsa Thurn, Pernilla Garmy and Eva-Lena Einberg
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Camilla Perming: Department of Nursing and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kristianstad University, SE-291 88 Kristianstad, Sweden
Åsa Thurn: Department of Nursing and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kristianstad University, SE-291 88 Kristianstad, Sweden
Pernilla Garmy: Department of Nursing and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kristianstad University, SE-291 88 Kristianstad, Sweden
Eva-Lena Einberg: Department of Nursing and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kristianstad University, SE-291 88 Kristianstad, Sweden

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 15, 1-11

Abstract: The purpose was to investigate stress among adolescents (16–19 years old) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Focus group (n = 9) interviews with students at upper secondary schools (16–19 years old, n = 41) were conducted in southern Sweden during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. The interviews were analyzed by qualitative content analysis. The analysis revealed five categories of experience of stress: (1) School-related stress, (2) Stress in relationships and leisure, (3) How stress manifests itself, (4) Stress can increase performance, and (5) Experiences of counteracting stress. The adolescents in the study experienced stress linked to school and relationships, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Distance education during the COVID-19 pandemic increased stress levels. The adolescents stated that high stress levels were experienced negatively and impaired their ability to perform, while moderate stress could contribute to achieving goals and improving performance. School nurses and other health professionals who meet with adolescents are important to support adolescents experiencing stress.

Keywords: adolescents; stress; experience; focus group interviews; qualitative study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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