Trajectories and predictors of psychological recovery post zero-COVID among Chinese adolescents in disadvantaged regions

With the end of the COVID-19 pandemic and the relaxation of social restrictions, it seems intuitive to expect significant reductions in learning difficulties and psychological distress among adolescents. However, their psychological recovery could be hindered by the increased stress arising from rapidly changing environments, particularly for those from less developed regions. A three-wave study focusing on Chinese adolescents (N = 962) from economically disadvantaged regions was conducted to examine their psychological distress and academic inefficacy changes before and after the relaxation of the Zero-COVID policy established in December 2022 as well as to identify predictors and mediators of the change trajectories across T1 (three months before the policy), T2 (three months after the policy), and T3 (six months after T2). Counterintuitively, latent growth modeling (LGM) indicated deteriorating trends in students' psychological distress and academic inefficacy. From a change management perspective, structural equation modeling (SEM) further showed that at the individual level, perceived legitimacy of change (T2) was found to positively predict the slopes of psychological distress and academic inefficacy from T1 to T3 through the mediation of self-determination need fulfillment (T2), whereas perceived change unplannedness (T2) negatively predicted the changes, mediated by perceived relative deprivation (T2). These findings shed light on the risk and resilience factors of disadvantaged adolescents' post-pandemic psychological recovery, providing important implications for policymakers and the community.