Crisis as Opportunity, Risk, or Turmoil: Qualitative Study of Youth Narratives About the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Purpose The present study employed a narrative approach in order to explore how young people constructed meanings regarding their sense of self in the context of COVID-19 experiences. Adolescents have been identified as a particularly vulnerable group, as the developmental challenges they face are superimposed and amplified by the accidental crisis caused by the pandemic. Methods An in-depth narrative analysis was conducted on written accounts of 13 females aged 17–23 years from Serbia. We selected these narratives from a larger sample of 70 responses (M = 20.1; SD = 2.9; 85.7% female) collected via an online form. We used reflexive thematic analysis as a tool for the selection process of the narratives subjected to in-depth narrative analysis. Results Young people told stories that differ significantly in coherence, affective tone, personal agency, and depth of self-exploration. Narrative analysis of the selected accounts identified three distinct types of stories: (1) crisis as an opportunity for personal growth, (2) crisis as a risk for the sense of self, and (3) crisis as inner turmoil. Discussion Narrative analysis enabled us to recognize three distinct processes of youth meaning-making related to the sense of self in times of crisis, all reflecting a significant impact on their core developmental task. Personal narratives served different functions; for some, the pandemic was framed as a challenge one could grow from, while others were left devastated or overwhelmed. Narrative coherence reflected youths' capacities for integrating experiences not necessarily connected to their psychological well-being. Implications and Contribution The insights from this study may be helpful to those offering support to youth by helping them understand the roles self-narratives play in shaping young people's sense of self in times of crisis. Narratives can be of great value for mitigating the adverse effects of the superimposed crisis during adolescence.