“Losing Interest in Life Was Not for Me”: The Life Experiences of Adolescents With Disabilities in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This study explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of adolescents with disabilities, utilizing an ecological approach. The investigation aims to comprehend the experiences of these individuals in family, society, education, and individual dimensions throughout the pandemic. This study carried out with a qualitative research method, used the Ecological Approach and phenomenological design and focused on mentally disabled, physically disabled and deaf adolescents in Turkey. This research has an “exploratory” feature regarding the method used and the findings obtained. Twenty face-to-face interviews were conducted, employing semi-structured questionnaires and Maxqda (2020) software for data analysis. The results revealed four themes and nine categories, elucidating the challenges faced by adolescents with disabilities during the pandemic. These encompassed Individual Factors, Familial Factors, Educational Factors and Social Factors. The study underscored that the COVID-19 process significantly impacted adolescents with disabilities in bio-psycho-social terms. Furthermore, coping mechanisms varied based on ecological factors and motivation levels. The findings provide valuable insights for future research, addressing a literature gap and emphasizing the need for tailored support systems to mitigate the challenges faced by adolescents with disabilities during and post the COVID-19 era.

Keywords:

• Adolescents with disabilities
• coping mechanisms
• COVID-19 impact
• bio-psycho-social problems
• ecological approach

Disclosure Statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, Veli Duyan, upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mehmet Zafer Danış

Mehmet Zafer Danış is a faculty member at Sakarya University Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Social Work. He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in social work from Hacettepe University. M. Zafer Danış, who received the title of associate professor in 2011 and professor in 2017, continues to contribute to the social work profession and discipline by producing academic works in many fields, especially social work and gerontological social work with children.

Veli Duyan

Veli Duyan is a faculty member at Ankara University Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Social Work and continues his academic studies on social work intervention, psycho-social dimension of health, HIV/AIDS, disability, child and youth welfare, sexuality and attitudes towards sexuality, and family counseling. He completed his undergraduate education at Hacettepe University School of Social Services in 1987. He received his master’s degree from Hacettepe University Social Sciences Institute Social Work Department in 1992 and his doctorate degree in 1997. He became an assistant professor in 1998, an associate professor in 2002, and a professor in 2008. He has many studies on the psycho-social dimension of health, sexuality and sexual attitudes, street children, the visually impaired and individuals living with HIV/AIDS, both nationally and internationally.

Mustafa Karataş

Mustafa Karataş received his bachelor’s degree in social work from Hacettepe University in 2007. Having received his master’s and doctoral degrees from Ankara University, Dr. Mustafa Karataş is currently a lecturer at the Department of Social Work of the Faculty of Health Sciences of Kütahya University of Health Sciences and continues to contribute to the information and evidence base of social work by publishing publications in many areas such as social work with children, social work with immigrants, digitalization in social work.

Mert Özdemir

Mert Özdemir received his bachelor’s degree in social work from Sakarya University in 2022. M. Mert Özdemir currently work as a social worker and researcher in spesific social work fields. He is also master student in Social Work Department İn Ankara University.