Members of Generation Z feel the COVID-19 pandemic has made it more difficult for them to pursue their educational or career goals, more so than millennials or Gen Xers, according to a poll released Dec. 6.
The poll also found that Gen Z pointed to the pandemic as a significant source of stress that interferes with their social lives.
The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted the poll with funding from MTV in September among 3,764 people ages 13-56. There were 2,683 members of Gen Z (ages 13-24), 668 millennials (ages 25-40) and 413 members of Gen X (ages 41-56).
Among members of Gen Z, 35 percent reported frequently experiencing stress and another 46 percent reported experiencing it sometimes, according to the poll. Uncertainty about the pandemic was among the most common sources of stress for this generation, with 37 percent citing it as a major source. That's comparable to 37 percent of Gen Z members who cited their personal finances/their family's finances as a major source of stress. Thirty-two percent of Gen Z members also cited fear of getting COVID-19 as a major stress factor.
When it comes to education and career goals, 46 percent of Gen Z members said they feel the pandemic has made pursuing these goals more difficult, according to the poll. That compares with 36 percent of millennials and 31 percent of Gen X members who said the same.
Additionally, Gen Z members said the pandemic has made having fun (55 percent), maintaining mental health (49 percent), maintaining good relationships with friends (45 percent) and being happy (46 percent) more difficult.
The poll results follow earlier studies that have found Gen Z members and other younger Americans in particular are experiencing isolation, loneliness and stress from the pandemic, and at the same time are more exposed to the economic effects of COVID-19 than other age groups, according to The Washington Post.
Read more about the poll here.