Contribution of Emotional Maturity and Self-Concept to the Development of Adolescents in COVID-19 and Post COVID-19 Conditions

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdowns created a peculiar and very unusual situation where people who normally spent their quality time outside the home, had to stay at home. Adolescents when at home in normal situations have their freedom to be in the company of their peers physically or through the social media platforms. However, during time of the pandemic and lockdowns, this freedom was also limited to a great extent. This affected the development of a healthy self-concept and emotional maturity of the adolescents. In one of its reports, UNICEF quotes Dr. Damour’s coping strategies for mental health of teens during the pandemic. This is actually a suggestion to develop emotional maturity and a healthy self-concept in the Post COVID-19 condition (PCC). Clinical experiences as well as media reports show that for some families and children, the lockdown-induced changes in family routines actually helped reduce child and adolescent mental illness symptoms and even improved their well-being. The purpose of this paper is to provide proper knowledge for parents and teachers to enhance the emotional maturity and healthy self-concept of adolescents during Pandemics and Post COVID-19 condition (PCC). Emotional maturity and a healthy self-concept may not only help them in emerging from the difficult situations but they are also instrumental in helping adolescents acquire the most essential soft skills in daily life of the community of adolescents who are often called as global citizens and powerful agents of change and the next generation of caregivers, scientists, and doctors.