Linking Social Support, Self-Support, and Emotional Regulation of Students Learning Online at Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Instructional Technology Theory in the Post-Pandemic Era

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as a significant threat to the socio-economic system, with the education sector, including higher education, being particularly hard hit (Abdeahad et al., 2023; Behzadnia et al., 2023; Mao et al., 2023; Salimi et al., 2023). The “new normal” required the adoption of virtual learning facilitated by technology platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Zoom, Google Classroom, Telegram, and WhatsApp (Endrawati & Suwartono, 2023; Ohei, 2023; Windhiyana, 2020). Teachers had to change their approach to maintain continuity of teaching, leading to a rapid transition to virtual learning and the sudden change was challenging for some children and led to psychological anxiety (Masry-Herzallah, 2023; Mohan et al., 2020; Sidi et al., 2023). Online learning brings challenges such as difficulty concentrating due to unfavorable learning conditions and internet problems (Ayusi et al., 2021).

Scholarly works by Noriyani (2017) and Zhooriyati (2021) highlight various barriers to online teaching and learning, including a lack of equipment, poor learning environments and internet connectivity issues, thus placing a psychological burden on some students. They face numerous challenges, such as learning in isolation without the guidance of teachers or the presence of familiar classmates. The long periods of studying in a single room and being confined to a computer screen also contribute to stress. This sudden change and the resulting restrictions make adjustment difficult and contribute to psychological pressure among students (Shazarina et al., 2020). In addition, students from less privileged families have limited or no access to modern devices, forcing them to share a single device with their siblings to participate in online learning. This places an emotional burden on students as they strive to participate in class and not miss out on anything.

The new norm causes discomfort and anxiety for both teachers and students, affecting their psychological well-being, emotions, and attitudes (Fairuz et al., 2020; Shazarina et al., 2020). In the face of these challenges, strong support from the family and immediate environment becomes crucial to students’ academic performance (Dennis et al., 2005; Muniroh et al., 2020). Individuals with strong emotional skills tend to have more positive social relationships (Lopes et al., 2004). Students who receive solid emotional support and have effective emotional regulation skills also experience higher life satisfaction. Positive emotions improve concentration, mental clarity, and academic engagement, which ultimately leads to better academic performance. More empirical research to assess the linkages between social support and self-support on emotional students’ regulation when studying online and staying at home with their families during the pandemic COVID-19 is deemed necessary. Accordingly, this study aims to investigate the linkages of social support and self-support on the emotional regulation of students learning online at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.