The Covid Generation: How a Pandemic Changed the Way College Students Relate to Themselves and Others

ABSTRACT: The Covid-19 pandemic’s abrupt interruption in high school and college life in 2020 revealed unintended long-term social and motivational consequences for students. Whereas students’ protection was imperative, the unintended consequences of such action have led to continued mental health and social development problems. Previous research concluded that the pandemic notably impacted students in five motivation areas: personal, academic, self-care, relationships, and finances (Lundquist and Hayden 2022). This research investigated the continuing impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on the mental health and social development of high school and college students. One hundred forty-four college students, 76.4% of whom were in high school when the lockdown occurred, completed various surveys and psychological instruments designed to measure motivational changes in social and cognitive development, and the extent to which such changes may have influenced participants’ abilities to navigate the continuing impact of the pandemic lockdown. Level of perceived stress was the number one indicator of the lockdown’s impact on the motivation to initiate and complete tasks, create new and sustain existing relationships, and engage in self-care activities to maintain one’s mental health. Individuals who stated that social restrictions during the lockdown were their greatest stressor (the largest group) reported overall higher perceived stress scores and lower cognitive, behavioral, and emotional engagement scores. Understanding the role of social stressors in meeting challenges presented by the pandemic can lead to better decision-making by those who teach and provide support for students during this (pandemic) and other times of transition. KEYWORDS: Covid-19, Academic Motivation, Adolescent Mental Health, Adolescent Social Development