Stress and Coping Strategies of Children during COVID-19 Lockdown at Vypin Island

The COVID-19 pandemic and its accompanying lockdown measures have significantly intensified stress and mental health difficulties among children, with particularly severe consequences for vulnerable populations. This research focused on examining both the stressors experienced by children and the coping mechanisms they employed during lockdown periods in Vypin Island, a coastal community in Kerala, India characterized by economic challenges and limited technological resources that compounded existing psychosocial vulnerabilities. The study pursued two main objectives: first, to investigate the specific stressors affecting children during pandemic-related confinement, and second, to document the various coping strategies developed by children themselves, along with those implemented by their parents and teachers as support systems.

The research employed an explanatory case study methodology, conducting detailed interviews with six key participants representing different perspectives. Through these semi-structured interviews, several critical stressors emerged, including the academic pressures of adapting to online learning platforms, anxiety surrounding examinations, developing dependencies on smartphones for both education and entertainment, financial constraints that limited internet access, and the psychological impacts of being isolated from peers and normal social interactions. In response to these challenges, the study identified multiple adaptive strategies that children naturally developed, such as engaging in creative pursuits.

The findings particularly emphasized how existing socioeconomic disparities were dramatically amplified by the shift to digital education, with children from financially disadvantaged families facing substantial barriers to participating in online learning. The young student participant reported experiencing physical symptoms like persistent headaches and hand pain from increased device usage, along with noticeable emotional distress. Meanwhile, the parent interviewee described observable behavioral changes in children, including social withdrawal and excessive reliance on smartphones. The teacher's perspective added valuable insights about concerns regarding the potential long-term effects on children's social and emotional development in the absence of traditional classroom interactions, prompting suggestions for more personalized educational support approaches.

These collective results strongly indicate the necessity for specialized interventions to address the multifaceted challenges uncovered by the research. Such measures could include therapeutic group sessions facilitated by social workers, policy initiatives aimed at reducing technological inequalities in education, and enhanced mental health resources tailored for both children and their family support networks. Practical applications stemming from the study involve incorporating psychological support components into digital learning frameworks and providing specialized training for educators to better recognize and respond to signs of student distress. Looking forward, the research highlights important directions for subsequent studies, particularly the need for larger-scale quantitative research to build upon these qualitative findings and thorough evaluation of intervention programs in comparable community settings facing similar challenges. The study's comprehensive examination of stress factors and adaptive responses during unprecedented disruption offers valuable insights for developing more resilient support systems for children in crisis situations.

Keywords: stress, coping strategies, COVID-19, children, digital divide, social work interventions