Quaranteens: Prepandemic relationship quality and changes in adolescent internalizing problems during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Abstract

AbstractThis preregistered longitudinal study examined changes in adolescents' depressive and anxiety symptoms before and during the COVID‐19 pandemic using latent additive piece‐wise growth models. It also assessed whether support from and conflict with mothers, fathers, siblings, and best friends explained heterogeneity in change patterns. One hundred and ninety‐two Dutch adolescents (Mean age: 14.3 years; 68.8% female) completed online biweekly questionnaires for a year (November 2019–October 2020), consisting of a prepandemic, lockdown, and reopening phase. Depressive symptoms increased following the lockdown and decreased upon reopening. Anxiety symptoms showed an immediate decrease followed by a gradual increase in the reopening phase. Prepandemic family and best friend support and conflict did not explain heterogeneity in depressive and anxiety symptoms during the COVID‐19 pandemic.