2. Life Satisfaction and Aspects of Subjective Well-Being of Youth as Indicators of Youth Mental Health: Pre-Pandemic, Pandemic, and Post-Pandemic Perspectives

Authors

Sandra Antulić Majcen
Institute for Social Research in Zagreb
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2584-2373
Andrej Naterer
University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5947-8808
Gordana Kuterovac Jagodić
University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8186-5046
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18690/um.ff.7.2025.2

Synopsis

This chapter examines youth well-being in Croatia and Slovenia before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic, with particular emphasis on mental health outcomes. Findings reveal a marked decline in life satisfaction across family life, friendships, and body image, with negative changes disproportionately affecting girls and young people of lower socio-economic status. During the pandemic, around one-fifth of respondents reported rarely or never experiencing positive emotions, while one-third frequently encountered negative states such as sadness, fear, or anger. Loneliness emerged as a significant concern, particularly among girls, though age-specific patterns differed between the two countries. Despite this, most young people retained access to supportive social networks, which served as an important protective factor. On the other hand, the post-pandemic period showed improvements in subjective well-being, which included stronger social connectedness and more positive emotional states. However, persistent vulnerabilities remain, particularly among girls, the youngest cohort, and youth from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Author Biographies

Sandra Antulić Majcen, Institute for Social Research in Zagreb

Dr. Sandra Antulić Majcen, is a Senior Research Assistant at the Institute for Social Research in Zagreb, where she has worked since 2023 on the YO-VID22 project: Youth Wellbeing and Support Structures before, during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic (CSF). She holds the rank of Assistant Professor and Scientific Associate in educational science. Her work spans national and international projects in education, focusing on self-evaluation and quality of the educational system. She conducts research on children and youth, with particular attention to vulnerable social groups, combining expertise in educational research and youth studies.

Zagreb, Croatia. E-mail: sandra@idi.hr 

Andrej Naterer, University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts

Dr. Andrej Naterer, is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the Department of Sociology, University of Maribor. His research focuses on children and youth, youth deviance and delinquency, and small-scale communities. He has participated in over 20 projects as a manager, researcher, or consultant. His work primarily employs qualitative methods, content analysis, and anthropological approaches. He is the author of numerous scientific books and articles and editor of the Subcultures series. He is a researcher at the Centre for the Study of Post-Socialist Societies (CePSS) and a member of several professional associations and international editorial boards.

Maribor, Slovenia. E-mail: andrej.naterer@um.si

Gordana Kuterovac Jagodić, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology

Dr. Gordana Kuterovac Jagodić, is a tenured Full Professor of Developmental Psychology at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, where she previously served as Head of the Chair and the Department of Psychology. She teaches across all study levels and has supervised numerous theses. Her research addresses risk factors in child and youth development-such as war, pandemics, and social media-as well as developmental transitions and parenting. She has received several professional and scientific awards and is active in national and international projects. She serves on Croatian and European psychological boards and associations.

Zagreb, Croatia. E-mail: gkuterovac@ffzg.hr

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Volume

Two Countries, One Crisis: The YO-VID22 Pandemic Study

Pages

19-48

Published

September 3, 2025

Categories

Copyright (c) 2025 University of Maribor, University of Maribor Press

License

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Antulić Majcen, S., Naterer, A., & Kuterovac Jagodić, G. (2025). 2. Life Satisfaction and Aspects of Subjective Well-Being of Youth as Indicators of Youth Mental Health: Pre-Pandemic, Pandemic, and Post-Pandemic Perspectives. In A. Naterer & D. Potočnik (Eds.), Two Countries, One Crisis: The YO-VID22 Pandemic Study (pp. 19-48). University of Maribor Press. https://doi.org/10.18690/um.ff.7.2025.2