A new study published in JAMA Network Open has suggested that virtual schooling during 2020 was tied to worse mental health outcomes for students, particularly those who are older, and youth from Black, Hispanic, or lower-income families were the most affected as they witnessed the most closures.

A cross-sectional population-based survey involving 2,324 parents of school-age children in the United States was conducted from December 2 to 21, 2020. Investigators employed the parent-report version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to evaluate mental health difficulties of one child per family in terms of emotional problems, peer problems, conduct, and hyperactivity. During the 2020 school year, 58% of children attended school remotely, 24% attended the school fully in person, while 18% attended in a hybrid manner. Older children who underwent remote schooling were found to have more difficulties, compared to those who attended the school in person. Among younger children, remote learning appeared to be comparable or slightly better with regard to mental health… (Medscape)