Home-Learning During COVID-19: The Psychological Adjustment of Minority and Majority Adolescents

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the resulting infringements of day-to-day life have affected families through school closures and home-learning. Yet, little research investigated how adolescents and their families could be supported during this time. Our two-wave study had three aims. First, we examined life satisfaction and academic self-efficacy trajectories among ethnic minority and majority adolescents. Second, we considered the role of the home learning environment (learning conditions and parental involvement) in explaining ethnic status group differences. Third, we studied pandemic-related familial factors that contributed to positive home learning environments. The sample comprised 121 ethnic minority (M-age = 14.04; SD = 1.25; 53% female) and 105 ethnic majority adolescents (M-age = 14.36; SD = 1.25; 59% female) in Germany. Results of repeated measures analyses of covariances (ANCOVAs) showed distinct trajectories in adolescents' adjustment (Time x Ethnic status group interaction: eta(2)(p) = .02 for academic self-efficacy and eta(2)(p) = .03 for life satisfaction). Whereas ethnic minority adolescents reported stable academic self-efficacy and a decrease in life satisfaction, ethnic majority adolescents reported stable life satisfaction and an increase in academic self-efficacy. Accounting for learning conditions reduced the differences between minority and majority adolescents to nonsignificance. Parental involvement did not explain these differences, although it was itself important for adjustment outcomes in both groups. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that good student-teacher communication, a positive family climate and fathers' short-time work contributed to the home learning environment. Findings highlight the decisive role of the family context during home-learning and the importance of learning conditions in overcoming educational disparities.