How the Pandemic Impacted the Mental Health of Young People Without a Computer

Can you imagine living through the Covid-19 pandemic again, but this time without a computer? We cannot, but many young people experienced quarantine in 2020 exactly like that.

Researchers at Cambridge discovered that the mental health of these teenagers deteriorated more quickly than that of their peers who did have access to the digital world. And we don’t need to be experts on the subject to understand why.

During adolescence, people are particularly vulnerable to developing mental health disorders if they feel isolated. The best way to prevent this from happening is by fostering social interactions: attending classes, making new friends, or distracting the young person’s mind with some kind of entertainment. But in 2020, schools closed. 

Online classes, video games, and social media were the only things connecting young people (and everyone in general) with the outside world. Therefore, access to computers was vital during the pandemic to continue their education, stay in touch with friends, and above all, feel that they were not alone.

So teenagers without computers faced the worst of quarantine, and as a result, developed high levels of anxiety, depression, and psychological distress. 

Consequences of Living Through a Pandemic Without a Computer

The researchers surveyed 1,387 children aged 10 to 15 to examine in detail the impact that digital exclusion had on their mental health. 

Their results show that, during the pandemic, the mental health of children and adolescents without a computer deteriorated by 16%. 

The young participants completed a questionnaire that assessed the most common childhood psychological difficulties, such as hyperactivity, attention deficit, emotional problems, and bad behavior. From this, the team estimated their mental health. Almost one in four (24%) young people without a computer scored high, which were considered “dangerous” compared to the rest of people in quarantine. 

Taking this into account, the team concluded that those without access to a computer during the pandemic were the most affected: their mental health suffered much more and they have still not fully recovered. 

“Young people’s mental health tended to suffer more during the strictest periods of lockdown, when they were less likely to be able to go to school or see friends.”

Dr. Amy Orben, University of Cambridge

Technology in Future Pandemics

For many parents, technology is dangerous for children’s development. This is because it is linked to dopamine addiction and eye damage from overuse of screens. But in difficult times, technology can act as a buffer for their mental health — essentially because it prevents acute social isolation and its consequences in adulthood.

“We don’t know whether another future lockdown will occur, but our research shows that we need to urgently start thinking about how to address digital inequalities to protect our mental health.”

Dr. Amy Orben

While this study focused on young people, it can be applied to everyone who was left without a computer or internet during the pandemic. The feeling of isolation is similar, even if the context changes radically. 

So, as a general recommendation: let us not face the next pandemic without a computer. Technology can help us get through even the worst moments.