According to a survey conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 44% of students experienced melancholy and hopelessness daily for two weeks or more in the previous year. During the COVID-19 pandemic, more than one-third of high school students in the United States were stressed, anxious, or depressed, and about a fifth had suicidal thoughts.

Teenagers′ mental and psychological health suffered significantly as a result of the lockdown, which exposed them to several challenges, including parental violence and isolation. Moreover, half of the students surveyed said that they had been subjected to emotional abuse at home from a parent or other adult, with 11% reporting physical violence. Around 30% reported stress due to loss of job in the home because of the pandemic and 24% had to be hungry due to food scarcity.

To address these mental health issues, better communication among students and teachers was required, as well as a greater focus on social and emotional learning and the development of each student′s self-esteem. (Reuters, April 1, 2022)