Meaning-making during COVID-19 in Indian College Youth: An Exploratory Study

The COVID-19 pandemic started out as a very sudden outbreak and took a turn into a prolonged disaster. With the loss of lives, livelihoods, and normalcy, people had to grasp what had happened. Meaning-making has been central to recovery post a range of disasters. The current study examined the meaning-making processes of thirty-five Indian college students through in-depth interviews during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results were qualitatively analyzed using thematic analysis through NVIVO software and indicated that the pandemic had largely impacted college students’ routines, sleep schedules, education, and college life. Most participants appraised the pandemic as a threat rather than a challenge, which resulted in them experiencing a loss of control. However, the participants employed a range of meaning-making processes to cope with the pandemic. Reinforcing global meaning and benefit finding was most commonly used. Denial was the least used. More participants reported having had positive outcomes of the meaning made. Participants used behavioral and emotional coping strategies that were congruent with the meaning they made. The study has implications for designing and developing promotive and preventive programs for college youth during times of distress.