A recent study found that adolescents are affected a lot by the mood of their friends, and it also showed that negative moods are more contagious than positive, which is the opposite of what previous studies have found.

In light of the continuing outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic, the suspension of studies and strict lockdown measures in a number of regions, the fears of specialists and experts increase about the impact of the crisis on the emotional health of children, adolescents and youth.

 Emotional

In a report published in the British newspaper "The Guardian", writer Sally Weil says that a group of researchers from the universities of Oxford and Birmingham conducted a study on two groups between the ages of 15 and 19 years, with the aim of identifying the extent to which the adolescent was affected by the mood of those around him, or what is known as " Emotional contagion. "

The two groups toured abroad during the summer of 2018, and each of the 79 participants kept a diary in which they recorded details of their moods on a daily basis and the various experiences they had.

Teens are affected a lot by their friends' moods (Pixabay)

One of the authors of the study, Dr Bear Block, of the Liverhome Center for Demographic Sciences at the University of Oxford, says one of the study's authors, "It categorically reveals that people are influenced by what others feel around them. Although negative and positive states are contagious, bad moods are more influential."

"We hope that this study will be an important step towards understanding why people suffer from negative moods that last for long periods of time, and the social factors that affect the emotional state of adolescents, and how psychological support can be provided that leads to improving mental health in the long run," he added.

necessity

The results of this study contradict previous research that indicated that good moods are more contagious than bad, and that bad moods are associated with "social phobia."

This study showed no evidence of withdrawal in teens with communication problems, the author says.

Current research on the mood of young people shows rates of irritation are much higher than thought (Getty Images)

Height

Vivian Hill, Vice Chair of the Department of Educational Psychology and Child Psychology at the British Psychological Association, comments on the new study, saying, “Current research on the mental health and mood states of children and young people indicates that rates of irritation are much higher than we thought. So, we need to be aware of the severity. Mood infection and keenness to provide appropriate support and services to schools and associations, and help adolescents who suffer from bad mood.

infection

Dr Stephanie Burnett Hayes, of the University of Birmingham's School of Psychology, who co-authored the study, says, "This study raises many questions, especially in the time of Covid-19: What happens when we do not deal with each other face to face, and what do we lose?" Bad condition, is it dangerous for us to communicate with others and catch their bad moods?