Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5673/sip.61.1.7
When Earthquakes Meet COVID-19 Pandemic: The Effects of Simultaneous Large-scale Crises on Psychological Functioning of Adolescents in the Final Year of Upper Secondary Education
Zrinka Ristić Dedić
orcid.org/0000-0002-7520-2139
; Institute for Social Research in Zagreb, Croatia
Boris Jokić
orcid.org/0000-0001-6640-9755
; Institute for Social Research in Zagreb, Croatia
Anita Penić Jurković
orcid.org/0000-0002-9044-9498
; Institute for Social Research in Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
A unique situation in which Croatia was struck in 2020 with a series of strong
earthquakes during the period of the global COVID-19 pandemic allowed for the exploration
of simultaneous effects of two large-scale crises on the adolescents’ psychological functioning.
Faced with the adversity of crises, most adolescents can cope with one or two risk factors in
their lives without significant detrimental consequences. The accumulation of risk factors increases
the chance for experiencing psychological distress especially for adolescents who are due
to their developmental phase more vulnerable to such traumatic events. Focusing on pupils in
the final grade of upper-secondary education, the study examines the extent to which the perceived
effects of simultaneous large-scale crises are related to adolescent positive psychological
functioning (life satisfaction, well-being, resilience and optimism). Furthermore, it provides
insights into the role of school location, damage incurred to homes, personal positive resources and perception of impact of earthquakes on psychological status in predicting fear of earthquakes.
Research was carried on the representative sample of 2,579 upper-secondary pupils.
The cumulative negative impact of simultaneous large-scale crises seems to have a greater effect
on positive psychological functioning than one threat itself. Consistent with previous research,
proximity to epicentre and property damage as objective characteristics of the earthquake and
lower levels of resilience proved to be significant predictors of fear. Nevertheless, the perceived
impact of earthquakes on adolescents’ psychological status seems to have a greater effect on
fear, thus emphasizing the importance of subjective evaluations of the traumatic event.
Keywords
earthquake; pandemic; cumulative crises; adolescence; psychological functioning; fear of earthquakes
Hrčak ID:
303951
URI
Publication date:
29.5.2023.
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