Postpandemic After-School Activities Among Youths in Australia

How did after-school activity participation among youths change after the COVID-19 pandemic?This cohort study of 14 350 participants in South Australia during the 4 years before, during, and after the pandemic found rapid increases in social media use compared with all other activities. Everyday use of social media increased from 26% in 2019 to 85% in 2022.These findings provide a timely benchmark for evaluating forthcoming policies aimed at restricting youths in South Australia from accessing social media platforms and suggest that interventions to support activities such as sports, art, and music are warranted.

Corresponding Author: Mi Zhou, MS (mi.zhou@mymail.unisa.edu.au), and Dorothea Dumuid, PhD (Dot.Dumuid@unisa.edu.au), City East Campus, University of South Australia, Corner of North Terrace and Frome Road, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.

Link to the article in your story

We encourage you to link out to this article in your story using the link below. It includes an access token that will give free access to the article for your readers up to one year after publication. (The link will be live after the article publishes and embargo is lifted.)

Please see the article for additional information, including full author list, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

Need more information? Contact us.