The present study investigated the effects of leisure activities and online peer relationships on the development of psychological difficulties in adolescents during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy. Data were collected in April and May 2020. The parents of 1,020 Italian adolescents aged 14-18 (51.9% girls) completed questionnaires about the experiences and behaviors of their children before and during the lockdown. A moderation regression analysis was applied to test the research hypotheses. The findings indicated that adolescents who were more active in sports and social activities prior to the COVID-19 pandemic showed greater psychological distress during the lockdown. Moreover, increased reading, game playing, and exercise during the lockdown effectively compensated for the interruption of pre-pandemic sports and social activities, and represented a protective factor for adolescents' mental health. Finally, increased online contact with peers during the lockdown protected against the development of psychological difficulties, regardless of adolescents' engagement in sports and social activities prior to the pandemic. The findings provide new and useful information about the role of leisure activities and online contact with peers in protecting against psychological difficulties in adolescents, especially during situations of isolation and social distancing, as in the COVID-19 national lockdown.
Keywords: Adolescence; COVID-19; Free-time; Online communication; Well-being.
© The Author(s) 2022.