California Study Reveals Schools Reopening Boosted Children's Mental Health
A massive new study published this week has uncovered evidence that children, particularly girls, saw a significant drop in depression and anxiety when schools reopened during the pandemic. The research, which analyzed data from over 190,000 California kids aged five to 18, reveals a startling decrease in mental health diagnoses.
Conducted by researchers at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the study found that after schools reopened, the likelihood of children being diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) plummeted by 43%. This decline was seen nine months after schools resumed in-person learning.
The findings also show a notable reduction in spending related to these diagnoses. Just nine months after a school reopened, spending on psychiatric drugs dropped by eight percent, while ADHD medications saw a five percent decrease. Medical spending not including prescription therapy, which includes therapy sessions, declined by 11%.
Girls showed the most improvement after schools reopened, highlighting the crucial role of school-based social environments in maintaining their wellbeing.
Researchers attribute this positive shift to several factors, including disrupted social interactions, increased screen time, irregular sleep schedules, and family problems resulting from financial constraints. The study's authors also note that limited access to mental health support services provided by schools may have contributed to these findings.
Dr. Rita Hamad, senior author of the study, suggests that policymakers could have made different decisions if they had considered the risks associated with prolonged school closures, including the negative impact on children's mental health. However, the researchers caution that their analysis only included students from high-income districts and emphasize the need for further research into the effects of schools reopening in marginalized communities.
The study provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between social determinants, mental health, and educational settings, offering crucial lessons for future public health emergencies.
A massive new study published this week has uncovered evidence that children, particularly girls, saw a significant drop in depression and anxiety when schools reopened during the pandemic. The research, which analyzed data from over 190,000 California kids aged five to 18, reveals a startling decrease in mental health diagnoses.
Conducted by researchers at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the study found that after schools reopened, the likelihood of children being diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) plummeted by 43%. This decline was seen nine months after schools resumed in-person learning.
The findings also show a notable reduction in spending related to these diagnoses. Just nine months after a school reopened, spending on psychiatric drugs dropped by eight percent, while ADHD medications saw a five percent decrease. Medical spending not including prescription therapy, which includes therapy sessions, declined by 11%.
Girls showed the most improvement after schools reopened, highlighting the crucial role of school-based social environments in maintaining their wellbeing.
Researchers attribute this positive shift to several factors, including disrupted social interactions, increased screen time, irregular sleep schedules, and family problems resulting from financial constraints. The study's authors also note that limited access to mental health support services provided by schools may have contributed to these findings.
Dr. Rita Hamad, senior author of the study, suggests that policymakers could have made different decisions if they had considered the risks associated with prolonged school closures, including the negative impact on children's mental health. However, the researchers caution that their analysis only included students from high-income districts and emphasize the need for further research into the effects of schools reopening in marginalized communities.
The study provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between social determinants, mental health, and educational settings, offering crucial lessons for future public health emergencies.
they actually found out that kids' mental health improved so much after schools reopened!! i mean 43% drop in depression and anxiety diagnoses?? it's like a huge weight has been lifted off those little shoulders 
. i'm not surprised though, i've seen all the vids of kids going back to school and seeing their friends again... it's just human nature! we need more studies like this tho, especially for marginalized communities 
. maybe they can learn from the successes in high-income districts and apply them to everywhere else 
. It's mind blown that schools actually brought them back together in a safe environment 
. The fact that girls showed the most improvement is like, totally fascinating 
. I'm all for learning more about how schools can prevent these mental health issues in the future 
. Maybe they should prioritize social skills classes or something?
I mean, this is insane! 43% drop in depression/anxiety diagnoses after schools reopened? That's like a miracle or something 
And it's not just the diagnoses that went down, spending on meds too 
. I'm all for schools reopening and giving kids their social lives back 
. We need to make sure we're supporting our kids' mental health in all areas of their lives, not just in schools 
! 43% drop in depression diagnoses is insane, especially for girls who were hit the hardest during lockdown 
. It's no surprise, though - schools provide that social safety net that's so crucial for our young minds. And let's be real, screen time and family stress can't compare to face-to-face interactions and homework help from teachers 
. They could've made some different decisions during the pandemic... who knows? 
Still, it's kinda reassuring to know that schools aren't entirely useless when it comes to keeping the kiddos sane. 
this study is everything!! i mean, 43% less diagnoses of depression & anxiety after schools reopened? that's insane!!! girls in particular showed the most improvement which makes total sense to me cuz they need those social interactions 2 survive 
and its so sad that schools didn't have enough mental health support 4 these kiddos 
anyway, this study is like a huge wake up call 4 policymakers & we need more research on marginalized communities ASAP 
it's crazy how much of an impact that can have on their mental health 
especially girls, they're like super resilient 
and social environments play such a big role in keeping them happy 
. It makes sense that being around friends, teachers, and a regular routine would help them cope with pandemic stress 
. The decline in spending on psychiatric drugs is also a big deal 
. also, the more screen time there is (ugh, I know), and irregular sleep schedules... that sounds like a recipe for disaster 
. its not surprising tho, cuz we all know how hard it is 2 deal w/ lack of human interaction 
. anywayz, good 2 c these findings! 
But seriously, this study highlights just how important it is for our kids' wellbeing. It's crazy to think that even a pandemic-induced closure could have such a profound effect on their mental health! 
The fact that girls showed the most improvement is really interesting too - I'm guessing it has something to do with the social aspect of schools being a big part of their lives 
Sources, anyone? 
I'm not surprised to hear that schools reopened are making a big difference for kids' mental health. I mean, we all know how isolating it was during lockdowns... 
It's like they knew schools reopening would be the key to saving their sanity!