Subscribe
The latest psychology and neuroscience discoveries.
My Account
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Neuroscience
  • About
No Result
View All Result
PsyPost
PsyPost
No Result
View All Result
Home Exclusive COVID-19

Remote learning might have helped protect teenagers’ sense of community during COVID-19 school closures

by Eric W. Dolan
September 3, 2022
in COVID-19, Social Psychology
Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
Stay informed on the latest psychology and neuroscience research—follow PsyPost on LinkedIn for daily updates and insights.

New research published in Behavioral Sciences provides evidence that information and communications technologies helped to protect students’ sense of community amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of COVID-19 to be a global pandemic. The spread of the virus resulted in schools being closed in more than 100 countries. To prevent a loss of education, many school administrations turned to online learning programs.

“In Italy, remote learning was particularly opposed in the public debate,” explained researcher Mirko Duradoni of the University of Florence. “Whether the position was politically instrumental or not, the supported idea of people against remote learning was that it could hinder the proper social functioning of adolescents.”

“Prof. Andrea Guazzini, Dr. Andrea Pesce, Dr. Fabiana Gino, and I, wanted to see if this was really the case since adolescents are quite skilled in using technologies for cultivating social relationships and thus may have found ways to compensate for the lack of face-to-face interaction opportunities during the pandemic.”

In the new study, 917 Italian high school students (with an average age of 16.38) completed an online questionnaire that assessed their perceived sense of loneliness and perceived sense of community before and after the outbreak of COVID-19. The questionnaire also collected socio-demographic information and included questions about the use of technology.

The researchers found that the COVID-19 pandemic had increased the perception of loneliness among the adolescents. Their sense of classroom community and sense of school community, however, appeared to be only marginally impacted by the pandemic.

“Remote learning constituted an occasion for adolescents to nourish their sense of belonging to the class and the school. Indeed, high school students’ sense of community remained almost unchanged even though they could not interact face-to-face with each other for months,” Duradoni told PsyPost.

“This was, in our opinion, a very important element of the resilience of our society during this specific phase of the pandemic,” he added. “If schools had been totally closed (i.e., without the possibility of remote activities), as happened in some parts of the world where information and communications technology structures were not supportive or ready, adolescents’ sense of belonging would have been probably heavily affected which would have been disastrous given the substantial lowering of loneliness levels still observed in our study.”

As expected, the researchers also found that the pandemic was associated with an increased use of information and communications technologies. The largest increase was related to studying and the need to keep in touch with class, followed by keeping in touch with friends and staying updated on the news. There were also small increases in the use of technology to keep in touch with family and online gaming.

“The main problem is that the remote learning line of research had a big impulse due to the COVID-19 pandemic for obvious reasons,” Duradoni noted. “So, studies before 2019 are quite scarce. For this reason, it is quite hard to distinguish between the effects due to the pandemic and remote learning. Right now they are closely intertwined.”

“Therefore, future research should clarify how loneliness varies in remote learning and blended learning conditions outside the current pandemic. This would allow scholars to have a more complete idea of the psychological repercussions related to remote learning in a world where the distinction between real and virtual is increasingly nuanced.”

“As reported in our study, information and communications technologies plausibly allowed adolescents to foster their sense of community despite the COVID-19 pandemic situation that, due to lockdown measures and remote learning, nearly resembles the dystopic condition described by Isaac Asimov for Solaria inhabitants who communicate almost entirely through sci-fi technologies: ‘They live completely apart and never see one another except under the most extraordinary circumstances.'”

The study, “How the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed Adolescents’ Use of Technologies, Sense of Community, and Loneliness: A Retrospective Perception Analysis“, was authored by Andrea Guazzini, Andrea Pesce, Fabiana Gino, and Mirko Duradoni.

TweetSendScanShareSendPinShareShareShareShareShare

RELATED

Bullshit is deemed more credible if attributed to a scientist, compared to a spiritual guru
Social Psychology

Scientists who relocate more often start Nobel research up to two years earlier

July 8, 2025

A new study of Nobel Prize winners suggests that scientists who change locations or work in multiple places tend to begin their groundbreaking research earlier, highlighting how exposure to diverse environments may help spark innovative, high-impact ideas.

Read moreDetails
The most popular dementia videos on TikTok tend to have the lowest quality, study find
Addiction

People with short-video addiction show altered brain responses during decision-making

July 8, 2025

People who frequently use short-video apps like TikTok may show reduced loss sensitivity and impulsive decision-making, according to a new neuroimaging study that links addictive use patterns to changes in brain activity during risky choices.

Read moreDetails
People with psychopathic traits fail to learn from painful outcomes
Narcissism

National narcissism linked to emotional impairments and dehumanization, new study finds

July 7, 2025

A new study suggests that people who see their nation as uniquely important often struggle with recognizing emotions and experience more anger and contempt—factors that may help explain why they’re more likely to dehumanize both outsiders and fellow citizens.

Read moreDetails
Anxious and avoidant attachment are elevated among individuals with eating disorders
Developmental Psychology

Personality may be a key factor connecting negative parenting experiences to adult challenges

July 7, 2025

New research finds a link between how adults recall being parented and their current life difficulties. These challenges may be partly explained by personality traits, such as lower conscientiousness, that are connected to early family environments and adult well-being.

Read moreDetails
Loneliness predicts an increase in TV viewing for older women, but not for men
Sexism

New study finds link between sexism and denial of male victimhood in relationships

July 6, 2025

New research shows that many people endorse myths that minimize abuse against men in relationships. These myths are closely tied to sexist attitudes about masculinity, gender roles, and who is believed to be a “real” victim of violence.

Read moreDetails
Fascinating study reveals how Trump’s moral rhetoric diverges from common Republican language
Donald Trump

Viral AI-images highlight how Trump engages in “victimcould,” scholar argues

July 6, 2025

How can one of the world's most powerful men also be its biggest victim? A new paper argues it’s a political strategy based on hypothetical, not actual, harm—a concept the author calls “victimcould” used to justify present-day aggression.

Read moreDetails
Stress disrupts gut and brain barriers by reducing key microbial metabolites, study finds
Narcissism

How to protect your mental health from a passive-aggressive narcissist

July 5, 2025

Passive aggression is more than just frustrating; it’s a weapon. When someone consistently uses backhanded compliments, sabotage, or the silent treatment, you may be dealing with a narcissist. Here’s how to spot the signs and protect your mental wellbeing.

Read moreDetails
Stress disrupts gut and brain barriers by reducing key microbial metabolites, study finds
Artificial Intelligence

Dark personality traits linked to generative AI use among art students

July 5, 2025

As generative AI tools become staples in art education, a new study uncovers who misuses them most. Research on Chinese art students connects "dark traits" like psychopathy to academic dishonesty, negative thinking, and a heavier reliance on AI technologies.

Read moreDetails

SUBSCRIBE

Go Ad-Free! Click here to subscribe to PsyPost and support independent science journalism!

STAY CONNECTED

LATEST

New study links why people use pornography to day-to-day couple behavior

Virtual reality meditation eases caregiver anxiety during pediatric hospital stays, with stronger benefits for Spanish speakers

Fascinating new advances in psychedelic science reveal how they may heal the mind

Dysfunction within the sensory processing cortex of the brain is associated with insomnia, study finds

Prenatal exposure to “forever chemicals” linked to autistic traits in children, study finds

Ketamine repairs reward circuitry to reverse stress-induced anhedonia

Neuroscientists decode how people juggle multiple items in working memory

Inside the bored brain: Unlocking the power of the default mode network

         
       
  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms and Conditions
[Do not sell my information]

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Cognitive Science Research
  • Mental Health Research
  • Social Psychology Research
  • Drug Research
  • Relationship Research
  • About PsyPost
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy