AN ANALYSIS OF ADOLESCENTS’ CURIOSITY AND STRENGTHS USE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Keywords:
Adolescents, Curiosity, Strengths UseAbstract
Students in the adolescent stage experience a plethora of challenges as they transition from childhood to adulthood. Among students, these challenges are compounded by the abrupt shift to online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There may be undesirable behavioral and social outcomes in adolescence, but it cannot be merely assumed that these outcomes raise threats; several aspects seen as challenging may turn out to stimulate positive progress. Like other positive psychology studies, this undertaking sought to appreciate the optimistic and emotionally gratifying aspects of human behavior and experiences. It describes the curiosity and strengths used by adolescents that contribute to their life, and provides information on the examined relationship between the components of curiosity (exploration and absorption) and strengths used, as well as the possible differences of the responses when grouped based on sex, grade level, academic performance, and membership in organizations. Findings showed that most adolescents use their strengths 70 percent to 80 percent of the time, albeit to a low degree. They also have a fairly large amount of motivation to seek and experience new knowledge and experiences. Furthermore, curiosity and exploration, as well as strengths use, significantly differ between adolescents in the secondary level and those in the tertiary level of education. Curiosity and strengths use do not differ in terms of sex, academic performance, and participation in co-curricular activities. More so, a significant positive relationship between curiosity and strength use was found.
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