Distress and Positive Experiences Among Adolescents in Northern Chile in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and the confinement measures adopted by most countries have impacted global mental health, with particular interest in the effects on adolescents due to the tension between lockdown measures and the challenges of their developmental stage. Therefore, this study examined the distress and positive experiences reported by adolescents in northern Chile during the pandemic. A comprehensive study was conducted among adolescents in northern Chile. Discussion groups were utilized to investigate their experiences during the pandemic. The discussions were transcribed, and their content was analyzed by thematic analysis to create emerging categories and subcategories. Eleven discussion groups were conducted with a total of 51 adolescents. The findings were organized into two categories: distress and positive experiences during the pandemic. The distress experiences category included experiences related to confinement, educational tensions, risk of contagion, being an adolescent, and anxious–depressive emotions and symptoms. Meanwhile, the positive experiences category highlighted experiences related to interpersonal relationships through social networks, hobbies, activism, and pets. This research provides guiding results for policymakers and mental health authorities to incorporate this information when creating initiatives for working with the adolescent population. It considers the impact on them, but also incorporates the reported positive experiences as coping mechanisms for other difficulties.

1. Introduction

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures adopted to contain it were substantial on the general population. Some studies have emphasized how this impact specifically affected adolescents. Specifically, the impact on the mental health of the adolescent population has been highlighted [1], with an increase noted in issues such as insomnia [2], social phobia [1], post-traumatic stress [2], anxiety [3,4], and depression [2,4,5].

Another relevant aspect during the pandemic was internet usage. It became a constant tool for the population in a globalized and tech-driven world [6]. Specifically for the adolescent population, the internet facilitates communication with peers and the development of social identities [7,8]. From an educational perspective, digital technology supports both formal and informal learning, providing adolescents with access to a wide range of resources and learning opportunities [9]. Although these characteristics were already part of everyday life, the pandemic significantly intensified and accelerated the virtualization of life experiences, making its use indispensable in various contexts [5,10,11].

1.1. Adolescence in the Pandemic

The experience of adolescents during the pandemic has had various implications in their daily lives, especially in family and educational dynamics. Within the family context, some studies have emphasized that the health crisis acted as a key factor in strengthening family bonds and providing a shield against psychosocial challenges and routine changes caused by confinement [12,13]. This highlights the importance of communication, family, and social dynamics in increasing adolescents’ capacity to cope with the restrictions imposed by the pandemic [14]. However, another line of research suggests that family tensions were common during the confinement period and had a significant impact on individuals’ mental health [5,15].

Another relevant dimension for adolescents was the educational context. The school experience also underwent significant transformations due to the extended confinement restrictions and the abrupt transition to remote education [10,11]. This sudden adaptation to new learning methods impacted students’ life and school satisfaction [5]. In fact, a study conducted by Liu et al. [16] indicates that young individuals whose academic lives were disrupted by the pandemic experienced higher levels of anxiety and depression.

Additionally, during adolescence, specific concerns regarding studies and interactions with peers arise, which can lead to symptoms of anxiety and depression of various degrees of intensity [17]. This is because adolescents experienced elevated levels of stress due to uncertainty, forced isolation, and difficulties in maintaining friendships and carrying out their usual daily activities [1,2]. This is especially relevant since interaction with family and peers in the school environment is essential for adolescents’ well-being [18]. Among the main socialization spaces affected were educational institutions [19,20]. In this context, during confinement, connections and the sense of belonging among schoolmates mostly shifted to digital mediums, with mobile phones and smartphones being the most used devices for this purpose [21,22]. Considering that, the adolescents in these studies could be regarded as relatively more familiar with digital media [23].

Although this scenario may seem disheartening, some studies have revealed the coping strategies that adolescents have used to deal with the stress of the pandemic and confinement. For instance, it was found that young individuals sought greater acceptance and affection from others, highlighting the benefits of staying home during the lockdown [24]. Indeed, those adolescents who discussed their fears and apprehensions about the pandemic with their parents reported fewer mental health difficulties [25].

Despite the focus of studies on highlighting the various coping strategies deployed by adolescents, it is important to note that the contexts in which the research was conducted transversally condition the experience during the pandemic. This suggests that the outcomes and effectiveness of coping strategies may vary significantly based on regional, cultural, and socio-economic factors that influence adolescents’ experiences and responses to the pandemic’s challenges [26]. Indeed, this has been reported as a limitation in studies about experiences during the pandemic. Variables such as the country’s level of development, state support and aid, geographic area, and the sociodemographic characteristics of families could be related to the variability of experiences regarding the pandemic and confinement. This emphasizes the need for a nuanced understanding of how diverse factors influence the psychological and social impacts of the pandemic on different populations, highlighting the complexity of generalizing findings across different contexts [27].

1.2. The Present Study

Based on the above, the present study is justified for the following reasons: (1) Most of the studies that have attempted to investigate people’s mental health during the pandemic period have been primarily conducted using a quantitative methodology. This creates the need to complement and deepen the research through other methodological approaches, such as qualitative studies, in order to emphasize adolescents’ experiences and lived realities during the confinement period [28]; moreover, (2) the available evidence has focused on the adult population, to the detriment of other age groups, such as children and adolescents [3,29,30]; (3) there is limited knowledge about how adolescents deal with the transformations and tensions associated with daily life during the pandemic [17,31]; and (4) another relevant theoretical background is that, on one hand, some studies suggest that young people reported positive experiences during the pandemic, which contributed to various areas of their lives [12,13,14]. On the other hand, other studies point to the existence of harmful experiences for mental health, which, combined with the circumstances of confinement, favored the emergence of symptoms in this area [25,32]. This represents a theoretical tension in the available literature, as there are divergences regarding how these experiences have impacted people’s lives during this critical health period.

Based on the previously stated, the following research questions were established.

How are the experiences among adolescents from northern Chile during the COVID-19 pandemic related to psychological distress? And what positive experiences do they identify during this period?

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Participants

The research was conducted from an interpretative paradigm in social sciences [33], with the purpose of exploring and understanding the subjective dimensions of the experiences of adolescents from northern Chile during the COVID-19 health crisis.

Fifty-one adolescents from Antofagasta, Calama, and Tocopilla in northern Chile voluntarily participated in the study, selected through convenience and snowball sampling methods. They were divided into 11 discussion groups based on their living area during the pandemic, gender, age, and socioeconomic status (SES), determined by the type of educational institution they attended (public, subsidized, or private). Age criteria ranged from 14 to 18 years, with groups divided into two age brackets: 14 to 16 and 17 to 18 years, aiming for diversity in age, SES, and gender identity within groups. To ensure anonymity, each participant was assigned a code based on their participant number, city, gender, educational institution type, and age, e.g., “3AFP14” indicating participant number 3, from Antofagasta, female, private school, 14 years old.

2.2. Data Collection Technique

Regarding the setup of the discussion groups, they were designed for six adolescents, but attendance varied between four to six per group due to connection issues experienced by some. Participants were adolescents from different cities in the Antofagasta region, aimed at capturing a wide range of experiences from northern Chile under pandemic conditions. Each session lasted about 1 h and 30 min, beginning with a briefing to explain study objectives, ensure confidentiality, obtain consent, request camera activation, and note the session would be recorded. The introductions of participants were followed by discussions based on a set of twenty-four questions across six themes. These questions explored their experiences with online classes, changes in relationships with friends, classmates, family, and partners, emotions during the pandemic, activities that provided comfort, and the significance of social media in their daily lives. Once the discussion concluded, it was ensured that all adolescents had participated and agreed with the derived conclusions before closing the discussion group. Finally, the audio recordings were transcribed, and the transcription was thoroughly reviewed by the research team to ensure the text accurately reflected the spoken discourse.

2.3. Procedure

The selection of participants was conducted between September and November of 2021, while the discussion groups took place between November and December of the same year. It is important to note that in Chile, the confinement was more restrictive and prolonged than in other countries, which meant that during this period, the adolescents remained confined. The discussion groups were advertised through social media, and contact was made with educational institutions in the municipalities of Antofagasta, Tocopilla, and Calama in northern Chile. Once some participants were found, they were asked to extend the invitation to friends and classmates. As participants were found by municipality, groups were formed taking into account age range, gender, and type of educational establishment. Afterwards, informed assent was sent digitally, and once signed, the day and time of the meeting were coordinated. Given the sanitary dispositions, the groups were conducted online through a specifically selected video conferencing platform. Finally, it is important to mention that this study complied with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. On the other hand, on 2 March 2021, this study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Chile, which, although it does not issue numerical approval codes, signed and stamped the respective informed consents and assents used in the research. The “online informed consent” was obtained from a parent and/or legal guardian for the participation of minors, and online assent in the case of adolescents. In both cases, this document ensured the voluntary participation of the adolescents. They received clear verbal information about the study’s purpose and methods, as well as how data would be securely handled. Additionally, they were informed of their right to withdraw from the study either orally or in writing. Participants were notified that the discussion would be audio-recorded, and that the analysis of this discussion would be published.

Regarding the validation criteria for the current qualitative study, they included Credibility, for which “member checking” was used through ongoing review of data and interpretations with participants from the various discussion groups. Summaries of discussed topics were shared with participants for content verification and to add more experience if necessary. Additionally, a “Trained Moderator” was utilized, since those leading the discussion groups were trained in qualitative methodology and technique application, with a focus on facilitating conversations allowing each participant to share their experiences. Moreover, as a criterion for dependability, a “Dependability Audit” was conducted where the methodological approach, discussion group question guidelines, and ethical criteria were reviewed by external researchers to ensure the study involved acceptable professional practice [34]. Finally, the Saturation criterion was applied, due to the execution of multiple discussion groups, until it was verified that the results were consistent, which was reviewed by all members of the research team.

2.4. Data Analysis

The information production technique employed was discussion groups [35,36], which were utilized to stimulate group debate on topics of interest, highlighting individual voices within the discussions inherent to group interaction [37]. In this regard, the research team members assumed a facilitator role to generate a conversation among the participants rather than just a horizontal researcher–participant interaction. To conduct an in-depth analysis of the texts, a qualitative content analysis was performed with the intention of interpreting both the manifest and latent content within the social context of the message. The analysis procedure was organized based on the following steps: familiarization with the information obtained from the discussion groups; the construction of initial categories; searching and reviewing themes; and linking and connecting categories [34,38].

During the familiarization with the information, the researcher (K.C.-M.) transcribed the content of the 11 focus groups word-for-word and assigned fictitious names to each of the participants. Subsequently, all authors (K.C.-M., R.E.-T., D.P.-S., and R.M.-V.) cross-checked the transcribed text with the audio recordings. At this same step, once the accuracy of the transcription was verified, the authors read the text several times to familiarize themselves with the experiences expressed by the adolescents. During the phase of constructing initial categories, K.C-M and R.E-T independently identified relevant codes from all discussion groups, which were then compared and reviewed by all authors. For the phase of constructing themes, K.C.-M. and D.P.-S. reviewed all selected codes, combining them to recreate general categories that grouped them, which were discussed in team meetings involving K.C-M, R.E-T, D.P.-S., and R.M-V. For the phase of searching and reviewing themes, K.C-M examined the quotes corresponding to each theme to review if their linkage was indeed coherent, making necessary changes if needed, all of which was approved by the entire author team. Subsequently, in the phase of linking and connecting categories, K.C-M and R.M.-V. named and defined each theme, and then the structure between categories and subcategories was reviewed. Finally, K.C.-M. wrote the Results section by interweaving the description of each category and subcategory with the most representative quotes to illustrate each one.

For the construction and coding of categories, a thorough review of previous results and research in the field was conducted to build the research objectives and the information production instrument, thereby highlighting information regarding the two main dimensions of the study. In the case of the distress experiences category, the studies related to the mental health impact of the pandemic were used as a basis [1,2,4,5]. On the other hand, for the category of positive experiences, the available evidence was also taken into consideration [12,13,14] (Deductive Categories).

Subsequently, the information produced in the discussion groups was analyzed inductively to identify relevant analysis dimensions, thus emerging as emergent categories. Finally, in the discussion, the findings are intertwined with the theoretical knowledge produced from similar experiences, seeking to verify that our research has successfully captured the essence of the investigation.

3. Results

In

Table 1. Sociodemographic characteristics of the participants.

		N	%
Gender	Female	25	49.02
	Male	23	45.1
	Non-binary	3	5.88
Age	14 years	2	3.92
	15 years	13	25.49
	16 years	15	29.41
	17 years	16	33.33
	18 years	4	7.84
Type of School Administration	Municipal	24	47.06
	Subsidized	12	23.53
	Private	15	29.41

, both female (49.02%) and male (45.1%) genders had a similar participation. Meanwhile, 5.88% of participants identified as non-binary. Most of the adolescents are 17 years old, comprising 33.33% of the total, followed by 16 years old at 29.41%. Additionally, it indicates that the most common type of school among the individuals is “Public,” making up approximately 47.06% of the total.

From the analysis of the produced information, categories and subcategories emerged, which we will present below, accompanied by micro-texts associated with the reported experiences in order to illustrate the identified dimensions of meaning (as can be seen in

Table 2. Categories and subcategories based on thematic analysis.

Categories	Subcategories
Distress Experiences	Confinement
	Educational Stressors
	Risk of Contagion
	Being an Adolescent
	Anxious-Depressive Emotions and Symptoms
Positive Experiences	Interpersonal Relationships and Social Media
	Hobbies
	Activism
	Pets

).

Category 1: Distress Experiences.

The confinement. Confinement was one of the sanitary measures adopted by Chile to combat the spread of the virus. This had a particular impact on the daily lives of children and adolescents, mainly because all their activities were restricted to being carried out within their homes, making their routines monotonous. The fact that their academic activities shifted to a digital format implied a redistribution of students’ time, who resented the fact of dedicating a large part of their day to online classes.

In the end, I spent the whole day at home alone. My parents were working, my brother was at daycare, and I was home all day by myself, doing nothing. The only thing that kept me focused was homework, but now that I’ve finished high school, I have nothing to do, and now I’m just there, alone, doing nothing.

(4AMPU18)

When you have free time or don’t know what to do, you start questioning everything, like you begin to overthink things, and that’s when doubts come in, along with problems—I don’t know—and then anxiety and stress show up. So, I think the same… the time you have, sometimes you don’t use it well, and you just focus on your own world, and that’s when you sometimes fall into it.

(2AFP17)

The management of free time was a conflicting aspect for the participants, as it generated feelings of anxiety and stress, as the absence of activities led them to overthink certain situations.

One, when having free time or not knowing what to do, starts to question everything, one starts to think more about things and that’s where doubts come, problems come, and anxiety, stress, everything…

(2AFP17)

The educational tensions. The lockdown prompted educational institutions to make a series of adaptations to providing classes virtually, which had an impact on both educational institutions and how students carried out their school years. Faced with this situation, adolescents highlight various situations that negatively impacted their mental health, including the high academic workload, which led to physical repercussions from spending long periods in front of the computer.

So much time spent on the computer, plus the assignments, plus the classes, even if I slept, I still stayed up at night or in the early morning doing work, tasks, everything I had to turn in, so sometimes my vision would blur or I’d feel dizzy or get those headaches, or sometimes I couldn’t even get out of bed because of the exhaustion from staying up doing work.

(1TNBPU17)

Hand-in-hand with the above, students criticize how educational institutions addressed the pandemic, as they point out that they prioritized academic demands, disregarding the impact that confinement was having on students’ mental health, which is perceived as a form of abandonment by the academic unit.

School management issues include the fact that the mental health of students was largely ignored. Talking about online classes always comes with the fact that we were so alone during the pandemic. In my case, and in that of many acquaintances, psychological issues emerged that existed before but perhaps were not discussed. There was no support in terms of mental health from them.

(3AFPU16)

Finally, the quality of online classes and the content covered in them was an aspect that caused insecurity in the students.

“I was going with fear because perhaps what they taught us virtually wouldn’t be the same as seeing it in person, I went with that scare…

(3AMP17)

Risk of contagion. While there were yearnings to return to normalcy and, thus, to have contact with people, adolescents indicate that during the pandemic, uncertainty prevailed regarding the impact the virus could have.

I was very worried about getting infected because I also have a younger brother who is one year and four months old, and he was at risk of getting infected if I went out and got infected, I could infect everyone… I was so worried about that, that if I didn’t go out, it was to protect us all, I had this fear that if I went out, I could get infected.

(3TFPU16)

It is worth noting that, while the participants express a fear of contagion, the fear of exposing themselves to the virus and then infecting family members and/or close contacts who may be more affected by COVID-19, as identified as a high-risk population, prevails above all.

Being a teenager during the pandemic. Having experienced the pandemic during adolescence is an aspect that the study participants highlight as important when discussing mental health, as the challenges they consider inherent to their age were mixed with those that arose from facing COVID-19.

We are in that stage of adolescence where we are just developing, growing, learning new things, and now having all these things come together, emotions, confinement, quarantine, COVID, masks, hand sanitizer, all of that also collapses, it bores you, and that stresses you out.

(2CMPU15)

Adolescents highlight the difficulty of communication and lack of understanding that existed between them and their parents as a critical point when facing the pandemic at their age. This was because they expected and needed emotional support that was not provided, precisely due to the sense of over-demandingness for all family members, which also implies an exercise of empathy on the part of adolescents.

It is common to find many teenagers who, during the quarantine, have not been able to have contact with their parents because the parents work a lot… but there are also parents who don’t know how to understand their children or emotionally connect with them, and I think there are many teenagers who have been struggling for the same reason.

(3TFPU17)

Emotions and anxious–depressive symptoms. In the accounts of the participants, emotions such as fear, uncertainty, and sadness appear predominantly in their emotional repertoire during the pandemic, which originated primarily from the lack of certainty due to the dynamics of the pandemic, and subsequently, due to the measures imposed regarding the management of the virus and the possibility of returning to periods of extreme confinement.

I went through everything these past two years, all the feelings imaginable, but the ones that prevailed the most were the curiosity, not knowing how much longer we could be locked up, if maybe tomorrow another bug would come out and we’d be locked up again, the curiosity, the fear as well, the sadness of being locked up here.

(2TMP16)

Likewise, seeing their actions limited to the space of their home and reducing face-to-face contact with their loved ones favored the emergence or exacerbation of symptoms related to anxiety and depression in the participants.

I fell into a depressive state at the beginning of the quarantine, I felt very bad, I had distanced myself from all my friends, I saw how people continued with their lives, many people who kept going out, kept having relationships, and I don’t know if it was like jealousy or simply because I was feeling bad about myself.

(5AFPU17)

Being at home doesn’t guarantee emotional stability; you don’t know what people’s realities are like in their homes. We aren’t obligated to get along with our families. Often, when you’re stuck at home with your parents for a long time, it can become really tiresome, and there are many arguments.

(AFS18)

Category 2: Positive Experiences

Despite the psychological distress described in the previous section, it is important to note that adolescents recognize positive experiences during the pandemic and confinement.

Interpersonal relationships and social media. Participants highlight having found an alternative way to connect with friends and family through social media. For this purpose, they mainly emphasize the use of their mobile phones to use social interaction applications like Discord and Instagram.

It helps a lot to socialize. Sometimes you can’t meet up with your friends, but you talk to them, call them. At least I’ve had fun talking to my friends on calls for hours. I’ve never known how to play any games, so I’m a spectator of their games, and I have fun with that. Whether it’s through Discord or Instagram, they also help a lot with entertainment, distraction.

(2AFS15)

In this regard, a key device for these interactions was the cellphone, serving a variety of uses and functions, which helped alleviate emotions during critical periods of confinement. In the words of the participants, this tool enabled them to connect to their classes, have fun on social media, and access content on the internet.

The cellphones served for studying because one studied online. But it was also something for entertainment and distraction because there was no other way to do other things. One could exercise, but still, the cellphone was used to listen to music, communicate, watch TikTok, watch YouTube, videos, and movies.

(2TMPU17)

In the family context, confinement during the pandemic also brought some benefits, as it transformed the home into a meeting place that allowed for positive interactions, which were less frequent prior to this event due to the daily obligations of different members of the family unit. This opportunity for togetherness was positively valued by adolescents.

My mom is always working all day, so during the pandemic, we saw her all the time. She didn’t work as much, and my brother was there too, so we were able to spend more time together as a family. My mom was around a lot, my dad was there, my sister, and my brother the whole ‘family.’ So, it was actually pretty cool in terms of family. There were no problems, and not many conflicts either.

(3AFP14)

Hobbies. For the participants, the period at home was not always negative, as it was also used to develop interests and enhance skills that, in their words, they had not had time to cultivate. Thus, managing their free time for hobbies proved to be a successful way to cope with the pandemic. The hobbies varied; for example, some participants highlighted taking advantage of certain flexibilities in sanitary measures to engage in outdoor sports as a way to break the routine.

I started going out on my bike on my own, gradually increasing the distance for some exercise. Apart from that, I didn’t do absolutely anything, just sitting or lying in my bed all day. Later, with my friends, we started going out all together, covering longer distances. It felt much more rewarding than being on the computer all day.

(6AMS17)

On the other hand, activities such as reading were recognized as a distraction and means of self-discovery, acknowledged as a good activity to invest time in and counteract the effects of confinement.

During this year, I discovered reading, and it was very interesting because it took me into another world. I could distract myself more from the confinement and focus on what the reading narrated, and it was very fun to experience that, and I got hooked on reading like a vice. It’s also super interesting to find words or phrases that resonate with you and to be able to implement certain learnings in your own life.

(3TFPU17)

In the same sense, music was also a companion for adolescents during the pandemic, who value musical exploration as a positive way to enjoy their free time.

That album is so good that it also helped during the pandemic process; that music was there when I was having good and bad times in these two years. Through that album, I was able to discover more music, and that music helped me a lot during this time. This album is instrumental music, so it helped me discover music that I didn’t listen to before…

(2TMP16)

According to the previously mentioned accounts, it is evident that although the hobbies were varied, the adolescents prioritized activities linked to self-awareness, leisure, and personal development.

I began to work more on myself; it was a really beautiful time because I was a person who never dreamed, I didn’t have dreams, I didn’t read, or write, and suddenly I started to have dreams, write down my dreams, I got into reading, started writing, reading, and that helped me a lot.

(5AMPU17)

Activism. Adolescents used social media to connect with others with similar interests. In this way, during the pandemic, they were able to learn about various social movements while actively participating in different causes linked to their political interests and joining activist groups and/or collectives.

Yes, during the pandemic, I became acquainted with feminist activism, class consciousness, and veganism. So, I’ve been vegetarian since eighth grade, but I was interested in becoming vegan and doing activism about it. I started my activism on social media.

(3AFPU18)

Pets. For participants, pets played a leading role in their lives during the pandemic. This was because they were an important source of companionship, interaction, and affection, mitigating the effects of the existing restrictions on physical contact with others.

I now have 4 cats, I lived a lot with animals and that also helps you a lot to face those isolation situations, because one perceives socializing only with humans, when in reality it’s not like that, animal companions also help you because they keep you company, so I never got depressed during the pandemic, because I was always accompanied.

(3AFPU18)

In that sense, interaction with animals gains value as a strategy for accompanying adolescents during periods of crisis.

4. Discussion

The results of this study provide an approach to the experiences of Chilean adolescents during the confinement resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, which allows for a comprehensive response to the central objective of the research, which was to specifically explore positive experiences in contrast to the distress experiences associated with confinement. It is important to note that adolescents’ experiences are shaped through interaction with various contexts, such as family, peers, significant relationships, and educational institutions, among others [39]. Consequently, the connection established between adolescents and these dimensions of their lives was fundamental to the development of both distressing and positive experiences. Therefore, the discussion is structured around these two dimensions of analysis, integrating adolescents’ experiences within these contexts.

4.1. Category 1: Distress Experiences

In this sense, the findings related to distress experiences confirm results from research on the effects of confinement and the COVID-19 pandemic on people’s life experiences [40,41,42], particularly among the adolescent population [1,43,44]. Drawing from the findings of the discussion groups, and with regard to balancing the school environment and interpersonal relationships, confinement emerged as a significant source of stress and anxiety for the participants. It compelled them to navigate both academic responsibilities and leisure time while being physically distanced from their key social connections. In the social domain, our findings reveal adolescents’ pursuit of social connection with others through digital media, using platforms such as Discord and Instagram. This further underscores that these connections may have compensated for the need for social contact. This adds evidence to studies that highlight the relevance of social media use for connecting with others during the pandemic [45]. Although social media was already part of adolescents’ daily experience, this became more pronounced during the pandemic. Consequently, dealing with multiple simultaneous streams of information from these sources may have had negative effects on mental health, aligning with the previously mentioned overload [46].

In the family dimension, a particular point of emphasis in the results concerns aspects related to communication between adolescents and their parental figures. There were tensions within families that threatened the emotional stability of adolescents. Adolescents reported that their parents intensified their work demands during the pandemic and exhibited little emotional connection with them. Some studies have sought to explain this distance by emphasizing the economic difficulties faced by parents [47], which led them to become overly focused on these issues, neglecting their connection with their children. This is because, although the pandemic was a health crisis, it was also an economic one. Additionally, families had to cope with the challenges of forced digitalization, both in terms of parents’ work and their children’s education [48].

Regarding the balance between academic tasks and activities at home, this generated mental overload. Moreover, the increase in leisure time often led to overthinking their situation during the pandemic. This could be explained by the difficulty adolescents face in coping with loneliness. These aspects have already been reported in the available evidence [49,50], highlighting that moments of solitude were characterized not so much by social loneliness, but by existential loneliness, that is, a tension with oneself. Complementarily, our findings reveal that the experience of being an adolescent was strained by confinement. The developmental tasks characteristic of this stage, such as identity formation, achieving independence, and developing intimacy [51], may have been affected by the reduction in opportunities for socialization due to lockdowns. The interplay between the complexities of the developmental stage and the challenges posed by the health crisis led to various mental health issues. Some plausible explanations for this phenomenon are based on adolescent well-being, which is influenced by various factors such as social support, self-esteem, and the sense of control [52]; these factors can have a greater impact on this population. These factors may have been strained during the pandemic, considering that various studies highlight the deterioration of social connections, along with mobility restrictions and uncertainty about infections [43,47]. These combined circumstances could have diminished adolescents’ perceived control over their situation.

Finally, a relevant point to highlight concerns experiences related to the risk of contagion. It is important to note that, although participants expressed fear of becoming infected, their main concern was the possibility of being exposed to the virus and subsequently transmitting it to family members or close contacts who, being considered high-risk populations, could suffer greater consequences from COVID-19. This aligns with evidence suggesting that one of the main concerns during the pandemic was the risk of infecting family members, even above the concern for oneself [53,54]. Moreover, this fear may have exacerbated symptoms of mental health conditions during the pandemic [55,56].

4.2. Category 2: Positive Experiences

Another important finding of this research, given the limited international literature on the phenomenon, is the recognition by adolescents of positive experiences during the pandemic. The above are used as tools for their support in times of crisis, being able to become effective coping strategies against psychological distress [57]. In the same line, dedicating leisure time to activities that generate motivation and enthusiasm, such as hobbies, is an important aspect to highlight, as adolescents identify engaging in non-school-related activities as a strategy for self-awareness and self-care. This suggests that, for some participants, the lockdown was not only a period of restrictions, but also an opportunity to engage in meaningful activities for their personal growth. This could be related to the process of savoring, which is an emotion regulation process through which individuals generate, maintain, or enhance pleasant emotions by consciously appreciating different life experiences [58]. That is, during the pandemic, adolescents may have placed greater weight or importance on experiences that, outside the context of confinement, they might not have appreciated. Additionally, this aligns with literature that has identified some positive effects of lockdown on some adolescents [59,60]. Moreover, in the social context, our findings allow us to reflect on how the exploration of social and political causes of interest to adolescents, along with their membership in these organizations, serves as a protective resource for them, given the importance of advocating for their worldview and addressing perceived injustices [61,62,63]. It is worth noting that the above is identified as part of the challenges identified in the literature regarding the period associated with the life cycle of the study participants [64].

Another relevant aspect of this research is family relationships. Some participants reported improvements in family relationships, particularly regarding shared time. This contrasts with the previously mentioned experiences of distress, prompting reflections on how family relationships were reconfigured in different ways during confinement. This is consistent with what has been proposed by various studies regarding the role of the family during the pandemic [12,65]. Additionally, the participants discussed the transition of socialization spaces to an online format, facilitated through devices such as mobile phones and computers. Among adolescents, there was a tendency to value these connections positively, particularly regarding closeness with friends and family. This aligns with existing literature, which indicates that this transition has been perceived as a way to maintain social connections [66] and to alleviate tensions associated with the pandemic through interpersonal connections [67,68]. In this regard, James et al. [68] highlight that the increased use of these technologies is associated with a greater sense of closeness to peers, which, in turn, generates more positive affect and a reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Finally, the role of pet companionship was significant for the participants. This aligns with previous studies showing that pet owners experienced better mental health during the pandemic and its various phases compared to those without pets [69,70]. The bond with animals could substitute for certain aspects of human relationships that were compromised during the pandemic, such as physical contact, closeness, and the expression of affection. Additionally, pets provide emotional and physical security [71,72,73].

4.3. Implications for Practice

Based on the above, it is suggested to enhance the findings reported in this research as strategies to accompany counseling and psychosocial interventions with adolescent populations. Given the positive assessment of adolescents towards social media as a means of contact with others, a practical implication could involve public mental health policies including the creation of apps where adolescents can find emotional support and foster healthy relationships, which they may lack in their immediate environments.

4.4. Limitations and Directions for Future Research

Two limitations are identified in this research. The first is that the design of this study is not representative, given that the methodological approach was only carried out with adolescents from the Antofagasta Region, a mining region with the highest per capita indices in Chile. Therefore, due to its geolocation, it can only be extrapolated to particular local situations. On the other hand, the fact that the information production was carried out in the second year of the pandemic, when, although confinement in Chile continued, it had already been relaxed due to the positive outcome of sanitary measures such as universal vaccination. This prevented us from studying the mental health of adolescents at the peak of the pandemic. However, this study proposes a methodological approach that is little explored in the phenomenon, since quantitative designs with adult populations have been privileged. Therefore, we hope it can be a contribution, as it highlights the experiences of adolescents from their subjective experiences.

It is important to highlight the significance of conducting qualitative studies on the experiences of adolescents regarding certain social phenomena. Methodologically, qualitative research allows us to access a diverse universe of meanings, which facilitates a deeper understanding and interpretation of the results obtained from statistical studies reviewed during the generation of the presented research and subsequent discussions linked to the interpretative process of these findings.

5. Conclusions

This qualitative study allowed us to understand and comprehend the experiences of adolescents in northern Chile, which were divided into Distress and Positive Experiences, each with its subcategories. The importance of this study lies primarily in providing information to authorities and policymakers regarding the reality of youth during the pandemic, which undoubtedly proves useful for the creation of initiatives related to the mental health of this population. Furthermore, recognizing not only mental health issues, but also positive experiences allows for the consideration of these experiences as coping mechanisms that adolescents can utilize when facing various challenges inherent to their developmental stage and specific context.