Children's mental health – how much should we worry? (Spoiler alert: a lot)

The Healthy Minds Study’s 2022-2023 Data Report showed alarming findings. This study provided a detailed picture of mental health and related issues in college student populations. In the report, 20% of the students had major depression, 41% had overall depression (including major and moderate), 36% had some sort of anxiety disorder, and 46% of the students had a lifetime diagnosis of a mental disorder. These findings were larger than the same study done in the fall of 2020.

It appears that even after nearly fully recovering from the physical impacts of COVID-19, we are still experiencing the ongoing repercussions of the pandemic. And it seems it has targeted one of the most important populations of the world: children.

An article published at the start of 2022 by Ashley Abramson titled “Children’s Mental Health is in Crisis” stressed the tremendous impact COVID-19 had on adolescents and college-going students. At just the start of the pandemic, mental health emergencies increased by 24% for ages 5 to 11 and 31% for ages 12 to 17 compared to 2019 emergency department visits, according to CDC data. The article also highlighted the immense shortage of school counselors in the country, with remote states taking most of the punches, and having one school counselor for every 9,292 students (Mississippi). Moreover, students from lower socio-economic backgrounds were more likely to have fewer counselors and school psychologists in their districts, precisely those children who needed them significantly more.

In recent years, there has been growing concern about the shortage of school counselors and similar staff, especially in light of recent political bills being passed. Conservative states banning discussions about sex and discrimination freely in classrooms make teachers feel voiceless and unable to help the children in their care. There have been instances where parents have harassed teachers for teaching their kids the “pro-choice agenda” and called for their dismissal for ‘poisoning’ their minds. Afshan Jafar, PhD, chair and professor of sociology at Connecticut College and co-chair of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) Special Committee on Academic Freedom and Florida, expressed concerns about the direction of institutions traditionally founded on principles of free inquiry and academic freedom. She questioned the environment being fostered in these settings and the potential implications for the future. If we do not allow students to ask difficult and controversial questions, how are we supposed to believe they will grow academically and morally? There needs to be an adequate amount of questioning by students about various controversial topics, and teachers should be willing to answer them with care.

In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis has issued a directive prohibiting social-emotional learning, directly opposing the work of school psychologists. According to Dorothy Espelage, a professor at the University of North Carolina, teaching subjects related to social justice, intersectionality, and other fundamental concepts in psychology is now unlawful in the state. This stance has sparked controversy, with comparable legislation being considered in at least eight other states. In such a depressive state where the school staff has nowhere else to turn to, the retention rates of school staff, including school psychologists, have been on the decline.

Across the nation, there exists a scarcity of school nurses, social workers, and counselors. Research from 2018, namely “Seven Trends: The Transformation of the Teaching Force” by the Consortium for Policy Research in Education, reveals that 44% of new teachers depart from the profession within their initial 5 years. Furthermore, a 2022 survey conducted by Hart Research among members of the American Federation of Teachers indicates significant dissatisfaction, with 74% of teachers expressing discontent with their roles. Alarmingly, 40% of respondents expect to leave the profession within the next two years, as highlighted in “Under Siege: The Outlook of AFT Members” (2022).

Federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education’s School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Program is poised to address shortages in school psychologists across the nation. Initiatives like the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) 2-year program, which retains educators as school psychologists, are gaining traction. UAB’s flexible approach, offering part-time, hybrid, and online options, facilitates accessibility for individuals in rural areas or those balancing family and work commitments. Similarly, other institutions like the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, and the University of Denver are utilizing federal grants to recruit and train school psychologists, focusing on underserved areas. “Grow your own” programs, such as those at the University of Northern Iowa, are also emerging, targeting professionals already embedded in education. These efforts, alongside advocacy from the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), aim to enhance job satisfaction and address critical shortages in the field through improved working conditions, financial incentives, and credentialing reciprocity.

It seems as though the repercussions of COVID-19 will continue well into the later part of the decade, and the country will have to work twice as hard to continue to grow and maintain the well-being of the upcoming generation. Thanks to better technology, constant advancements and researches in the field, with constant efforts to make the life of children better and more meaningful, the now bleak looking present can lead to a brighter future.

ARTICLE BY – Manasvi Deore | Writer @ The Social Digest