The changing social worlds of 13-year-olds

This event is part of the School of Education's . These seminars are free and open to the public.

Host: Centre for Multilevel Modelling (CMM)

Speaker: Emer Smyth (Research Professor, Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin)

This paper takes advantage of the two-cohort design of the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) study to compare the experiences of 13-year-olds a decade apart (Cohorts ’98 and ’08). This decade was a period of considerable social and policy change, including reform of lower secondary education, growing digitalisation and the disruption of the pandemic to all aspects of young people’s lives, as well as changes in the profile of young people and their families. The findings point to very significant changes in the lives of 13-year-olds, even taking account of the shift in their profile.

There are many positive findings emerging from this paper, particularly more democratic family relations, improved engagement in sport and physical exercise, and greater interest in some core subjects in the wake of education reform. The findings do, however, highlight persistent social background and gender differences in the lives adolescents lead. Financial strain continues to be a source of friction between parents and teenagers, reinforcing the need to target adequate levels of income support towards families with children. Young people from more disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to take part in the kinds of out-of-school activities (like hard exercise and cultural engagement) that boost their development, highlighting the need for subsidised activities in communities and supports for schools to provide access to a range of extracurricular options. The findings point to poorer peer relations and more emotional difficulties among the cohort who experienced the pandemic, especially among girls.

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