Peer-reviewed article
Experiencing quarantine restrictions for adolescents with and without suicidal experience in Russia
Dovbysh D, Ermakova M, Kiseleva M ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study compared how Russian adolescents experienced Covid-19 quarantine restrictions, focusing on differences between school students and those hospitalized for suicidal behaviour. Adolescents with suicidal experience reported much greater difficulty studying, communicating with peers, and managing family conflict during lockdown. This group also showed higher levels of anxiety and family tension, and reported stronger restrictions on expressing negative emotions at home.
Key points
- 72% of hospitalized adolescents with suicidal experience reported worsening study difficulties during quarantine, compared to 51% of school students
- 76% of the suicidal group reported increased difficulty communicating with peers versus 41% of school students
- Adolescents with suicidal experience showed significantly higher family anxiety (17.3 vs 12.1) and prohibition on negative emotional expression (37.2 vs 21.3)
- Rates of family conflict were nearly double in the suicidal group (49% vs 25%)
- The suicidal group showed higher anxiety about personal health, relatives' wellbeing, and financial stability
Limitations
The study is cross-sectional and does not establish whether quarantine caused the differences or whether vulnerable adolescents were already at higher risk before Covid-19. The small size of the clinical group (39 adolescents) and recruitment from one Moscow clinic limits generalizability.
Abstract
Introduction The life changes and limitations associated with Covid-19 clearly have serious psychological implications. The life of adolescents has also changed significantly in many areas: study, communication with peers, contact with family, etc. and not all adolescents have adapted to these changes equally easily. Objectives Study adolescents’ perception of Covid-19, describe the effect of self-isolation on adolescent emotional well-being, and examine changes in the family system through the eyes of a teenager. Methods The study involved two groups of adolescents: the first (G1) - 174 students of a Moscow school and the second (G2) - 39 adolescents hospitalized in a children’s psychiatric clinic in connection with suicidal actions. Teenagers filled out the author’s questionnaire, Short Health Anxiety Inventory (Salkovskis), Analysis of Family Anxiety (Eidemiller, Yustickis), Prohibition on the expression of feelings (Kholmogorova). Results Participants in G2 significantly more often than G1 reported that their functioning worsened (it became more difficult to study - 72% versus 51%; more difficult to communicate - 76% versus 41%, more conflicts with family members - 49% versus 25%). G2 demonstrated a significantly higher level of family anxiety (M = 17.3 and M = 12.1 p<0.01), a more pronounced prohibition on expressions of negative emotions (M = 37.2 and M = 21.3 p<0.01). The level of anxiety (for one’s own health, well-being of relatives and financial stability) is also significantly higher in G2. Conclusions Many adolescents in self-isolation need the support of relatives and the help of specialists. For a number of teenagers, self-isolation has become a crisis situation.