SHORT REPORT
Adolescent wellbeing during the pandemic: the role of socioeconomic position, gender, psychological capital, and social support
1
Department of Work and Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
2
Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
Submission date: 2024-12-02
Final revision date: 2025-08-18
Acceptance date: 2025-08-30
Online publication date: 2025-10-23
Corresponding author
Karlijn Massar
Department of Work and Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
Department of Work and Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
KEYWORDS
socioeconomic positionmental wellbeingadolescentspsychological capitalsocial supportpandemicmoderated mediation
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Background:
Adolescents’ mental health was significantly affected during the COVID-19 pandemic, with evidence of socioeconomic and gender disparities. Knowledge about psychological factors that could protect adolescents against poor mental health during stressful times is thus necessary.
Participants and procedure:
Data were collected mid-2021 among 498 Dutch adolescents (52.21% female, age M = 13.73, SD = 0.80). Measures included mental health and loneliness as dependent variables (DVs), subjective socioeconomic position as the independent variable (IV), and social support and psychological capital (PsyCap) as mediators.
Results:
The findings revealed that particularly girls and pupils with a lower socioeconomic position reported poorer mental health and higher loneliness. Furthermore, whereas PsyCap mediated the relationship between socioeconomic position and mental health/loneliness for both genders, social support mediated these relationships primarily for girls.
Conclusions:
This study highlights the importance of protective psychological resources to help adolescents cope with the adverse effects of socioeconomic and pandemic-related stressors. Interventions targeting these factors may be beneficial in promoting ado-lescent well-being.
Adolescents’ mental health was significantly affected during the COVID-19 pandemic, with evidence of socioeconomic and gender disparities. Knowledge about psychological factors that could protect adolescents against poor mental health during stressful times is thus necessary.
Participants and procedure:
Data were collected mid-2021 among 498 Dutch adolescents (52.21% female, age M = 13.73, SD = 0.80). Measures included mental health and loneliness as dependent variables (DVs), subjective socioeconomic position as the independent variable (IV), and social support and psychological capital (PsyCap) as mediators.
Results:
The findings revealed that particularly girls and pupils with a lower socioeconomic position reported poorer mental health and higher loneliness. Furthermore, whereas PsyCap mediated the relationship between socioeconomic position and mental health/loneliness for both genders, social support mediated these relationships primarily for girls.
Conclusions:
This study highlights the importance of protective psychological resources to help adolescents cope with the adverse effects of socioeconomic and pandemic-related stressors. Interventions targeting these factors may be beneficial in promoting ado-lescent well-being.
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