Social Media Addiction Mental Health Impact

At International Survey Associates, we aim to report valid, reliable data used to make research-based decisions that drive improvement. We gather perception data from students, teachers, and parents and provide detailed reports to crucial education stakeholders, providing a platform for informed decision-making at the administrative level. In this post, we explore how social media addiction can exacerbate mental health issues in teens and provide insights on how to mitigate these risks.

Mental health issues among teenagers have been rising for more than a decade, and some experts are committed to determining how much social media use is to blame. In 2023, United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, MBA, released an advisory called Social Media and Youth Mental Health, in which he says there is growing evidence that social media is causing harm to the mental health of young people. Soon after, the American Psychological Association (APA) issued its own health advisory. In June 2024, Dr. Murthy called for a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, which would require an act of Congress to implement.

However, the issue is complicated. While there are indicators that social media can have a profound risk to teens, social media use aimed at making healthy connections with others may benefit some people. Social media has become an integral part of teenage social life, and sometimes academic or sports programs as well. With access to platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Snapchat, teens are constantly connected to their peers, trends, and news events. Social media platforms offer chances for creativity, connection, and self-expression. However, the rise of excessive social media use among teens has also raised concerns about its impact on mental health.

The Rise of Social Media Addiction

Social media addiction among teens is a growing concern. According to a study by the Pew Research Center, 95% of teens have access to a smartphone, and 45% say they are online “almost constantly.” The pressure to stay connected, respond quickly, and maintain a curated online persona can lead to unhealthy behaviors. The desire for validation through engagements (likes, comments, and shares) can become an addictive cycle, where teens prioritize online approval over real-world interactions.

Research has shown that excessive social media use can have several negative effects on the mental health of teens. Some of the key mental health challenges associated with social media addiction include:

Increased Anxiety and Depression: Constant exposure to curated content (i.e., Instagram versus reality) on social media can lead to feelings of inadequacy and anxiety. Teens often compare themselves to the idealized images they see online, which can negatively impact self-esteem. According to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry, the more time teens spend on social media, the more likely they are to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety. The pressures to conform to trends, look a certain way, or get approval from friends or peers can intensify feelings of isolation and sadness.
Cyberbullying and Harassment: The anonymity of certain social media platforms can foster cyberbullying, which has become a significant issue for teens. Negative interactions online, whether through comments, messages, or even exclusion in groups and chat, can cause long-lasting emotional harm. Cyberbullying has been linked to increased depression, suicidal thoughts, and a decline in self-worth.
Sleep Disruptions: Social media addiction often leads to late-night scrolling, which can interfere with sleep patterns. Studies have shown that excessive screen time, especially before bed, can disrupt circadian rhythms and hinder sleep quality. Poor sleep, in turn, exacerbates mental health issues like anxiety and depression, creating a vicious cycle.
Impaired Social Skills: While social media can help teens stay connected with friends, over-reliance on online communication can hinder the development of essential social skills. Face-to-face interactions are critical for emotional regulation, empathy, and conflict resolution. Teens who spend more time online may struggle to navigate real-world social situations, leading to feelings of loneliness and disconnection.
Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): Social media fuels the phenomenon of FOMO, where teens feel left out if they aren’t part of the latest trends or invited to events or groups. Seeing others participate in activities, celebrations, or experiences they are not invited to can deepen feelings of loneliness and insecurity.

Addressing Social Media Addiction With Protective Factors

While social media addiction poses significant challenges for teens, there is hope. Just as there are risk factors, there are also protective factors that can help mitigate the impact of excessive social media use. By helping them to create a healthier relationship with technology, we can guide teens toward more balanced digital habits.

Setting Boundaries: One of the most effective ways to manage social media addiction is to set clear boundaries around usage. Parents, caregivers, and educators can help teens establish healthy screen time limits and create tech-free zones or times (such as during meals or before bed). Encouraging offline activities like outdoor play, family time, or reading can help teens find fulfillment outside of the digital world.
Promoting Open Communication: Open conversations with teenagers about the pressures and challenges of social media can empower them to make more mindful choices. Encourage teens to express their feelings about their online experiences and share any negative interactions they may have encountered. Having these conversations helps reduce the stigma surrounding mental health challenges and creates a supportive environment for teens to seek help when needed.
Modeling Healthy Tech Habits: Adults can serve as role models by managing personal screen time, engaging in face-to-face conversations, and prioritizing offline activities. They can set the tone for healthier social media usage by showing teens that a balanced lifestyle is possible.
Seeking Professional Support: If social media addiction is severely impacting a teen’s mental health or academic performance, seeking help from a trained mental health professional is crucial. Therapists and counselors can offer strategies to cope with anxiety, depression, and the pressures of social media.

Overall, social media addiction among teens is a complex issue that requires thoughtful consideration and intervention. While it offers opportunities for connection and self-expression, the mental health risks associated with excessive use cannot be ignored.

By normalizing these types of conversations about mental health and what’s best for our children, we can reduce the stigma that surrounds these topics and help students find healthy ways to navigate their digital and in-person worlds. If you would like more information on issues like student risk factors, general behavioral stress, depression, addiction, or other mental health-related challenges in your communities, International Survey Associates offers many options to fit various needs.

Resources

https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/sg-youth-mental-health-social-media-advisory.pdf

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/17/opinion/social-media-health-warning.html

https://www.apa.org/topics/social-media-internet/health-advisory-adolescent-social-media-use

Understanding Individual Risk Factors: Helping Parents Support Children’s Mental Health

At ISA, we aim to report valid, reliable data used to make research-based decisions that drive improvement. We gather perception data from students, teachers, and parents and provide detailed reports to crucial education stakeholders, providing a platform for informed decision-making at the administrative level. This month, we’re focusing on understanding individual risk factors in middle and high schoolers to help parents support their children’s mental health.

As children transition into middle and high school, we know they face a multitude of challenges that can significantly impact their mental health. For parents who want to support their children effectively during this period, this blog post will explore key risk factors such as early aggressive behavior, poor impulse control, difficulties with emotional regulation, and low self-esteem or feelings of hopelessness and depression. Additionally, we will provide tips for parents to identify these risk factors and strategies to help their children thrive.

Early Aggressive Behavior

Early aggressive behavior can manifest in various forms, including verbal outbursts, physical altercations, or bullying. Research indicates that adolescents who exhibit aggressive behaviors are at a higher risk for developing mental health issues later in life, including anxiety and depression. Parents should be able to recognize signs of aggression, including frequent temper tantrums, defiance towards adults, or a tendency to blame others for their problems.

Tips for Parents:

Open Communication: Encourage your child to express their feelings and frustrations with you by encouraging open communication. Create a safe space where they feel comfortable discussing their emotions with you or another trusted adult.
Model Positive Behavior: Demonstrate healthy conflict resolution strategies and emotional regulation in your interactions. Children often learn by observing their parents, so we recommend that parents, whether they’re together or not, show their kids how to handle tensions when they arise.
Seek Professional Help: If aggressive behaviors persist, consider consulting a mental health professional who can provide guidance and support tailored to your child’s needs.

Poor Impulse Control

Poor impulse control is another significant factor that can affect a child’s ability to make sound decisions and manage their behavior. This can lead to risky actions, such as substance use or engaging in dangerous activities. Adolescents with impulse control issues may struggle academically and socially, further exacerbating feelings of isolation or inadequacy.

Tips for Parents:

Establish Clear Boundaries: Set clear expectations regarding acceptable behavior and consequences for impulsive actions. Consistency is a must in reinforcing these boundaries so your child understands you’re serious about them when you try to enforce them.
Teach Problem-Solving Skills: Help your child develop critical thinking skills by discussing the potential consequences of their actions before they make decisions.
Encourage Mindfulness Practices: Introduce mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing or yoga to help your child become more aware of their thoughts and feelings before acting on them. Advise them to journal or draw so they can also make sense of their feelings in other artistic outlets.

Difficulties with Emotional Regulation

Emotional regulation refers to the ability to manage and respond to emotional experiences appropriately. Adolescents often experience intense emotions due to hormonal changes and social pressures. Those who struggle with emotional regulation may exhibit mood swings, anxiety, or depression.

Tips for Parents:

Validate Emotions: Acknowledge your child’s feelings without judgment. Let them know feeling sad, angry, or overwhelmed is okay.
Teach Coping Strategies: Equip your kids with coping mechanisms such as hobbies, physical activity, or creative outlets like art or music, all of which can improve children’s mental health.
Monitor Stress Levels: Pay attention to stressors in your child’s life, whether academic pressures or social dynamics, and check in with them on how they’re feeling about their school workload, how their friends are being treated, or how your child is being treated by their friends. Help them find healthy ways to cope with these inevitable challenges.

Low Self-Esteem or Feelings of Hopelessness

Low self-esteem can significantly impact children’s mental health. Adolescents may compare themselves unfavorably to peers or feel inadequate due to academic performance or social interactions. Low self-esteem can lead to withdrawal from activities they once enjoyed and increase the risk of depression.

Tips for Parents:

Encourage Strengths: Help your child identify their strengths and talents. Celebrate achievements, no matter how small, to boost their confidence.
Promote Positive Self-Talk: Teach your child the importance of positive affirmations and how to challenge negative thoughts about themselves.
Foster Connections: Encourage friendships and participation in group activities where your child can build social skills and confidence in a supportive environment.

Understanding individual risk factors that may impact children’s mental health helps parents navigate the complexities of the middle and high school years. By recognizing signs of early aggressive behavior, poor impulse control, difficulties with emotional regulation, and low self-esteem, parents can take proactive steps to support their children’s well-being.

By normalizing conversations about children’s mental health and coping strategies, we can reduce the stigma that surrounds these topics and help students find healthier ways to navigate their emotions. If you would like more information on issues like student risk factors, general behavioral stress, depression, addiction, or other mental health-related issues in your communities, International Survey Associates offers many options to fit various needs.

Resources

https://centerstone.org/our-resources/health-wellness/7-tips-for-parents-to-support-their-childrens-mental-health/#:~:text=Share%20some%20coping%20mechanisms%3A%20Change,can%20cope%20with%20the%20crisis.

https://www.childrens.com/health-wellness/how-to-nuture-your-childs-mental-health

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9497754/

https://www.unicefusa.org/what-unicef-does/parenting/support-child-mental-health

Student Mental Health Challenges Over the Summer and Resources to Address Them

At International Survey Associates, our mission is driven by our commitment to working with community coalitions and education partners to provide research, resources, and data on the current issues affecting today’s youth and adolescents. This month, we focus on student mental health challenges over the summer and resources that parents and educators can use for support.

As summer kicks off, many expect students to revel in the freedom and relaxation of their break. However, data reveals a concerning trend: student mental health often suffers during the summer months. Summer break is a time for kids to relax and have fun, but it can also lead to learning loss, known as the “summer slide.” Understanding why student mental health declines during the summer is crucial for developing effective prevention programming and evidence-based strategies.

While summer might seem like a perfect time for students to unwind, several factors contribute to increased mental health challenges during this period.

Lack of Structure: During the school year, students have a routine schedule. The sudden loss of this can lead to feelings of aimlessness and anxiety. The absence of daily academic and extracurricular activities can disrupt a student’s sense of purpose and accomplishment, leading them to get involved in sometimes more unsavory activities.
Social Isolation: School provides a social environment where students interact with peers daily. Over the summer, these interactions can diminish, leading to feelings of loneliness and isolation. This is particularly concerning for students who rely on school as their primary source of social engagement.
Increased Substance Use: Data indicates a spike in substance use among adolescents during the summer. Without the oversight and accountability provided by school environments, some students may engage in risky behaviors, including drug and alcohol use. The lack of drug-free communities and prevention programming during summer contributes to this increase.

Addressing these challenges requires a multi-faceted approach, including evaluation, community coalition efforts, and strategies that begin right in the home for both the individual and their families. By implementing and sustaining evidence-based prevention programming, communities, and families can work to mitigate the adverse effects of summer on student mental health.

One way to do this is by parents modifying the physical, social, and economic environments to promote healthier behaviors. Bringing them to safe and engaging community spaces where children can gather and participate in supervised activities can reduce isolation and risky behaviors as long as the parents have researched what they are putting their kids into for the summer. Check out local community centers, libraries, and schools for interactive summer learning programs. They make learning fun and exciting as kids explore new subjects.

We see how important it is to maintain a consistent daily routine for the child. It can provide structure and a sense of normalcy for kids so they aren’t now flooded with all this idle free time to potentially use adversely. Encourage regular sleep schedules, meal times, and activities. Engage in regular physical exercise, which can improve mood and reduce anxiety, whether it’s a family walk or biking to a certain spot in the city. Hikes are also our top recommendation if you live in a location with access to hikes or nature walks.

On a similar note, reading is also an invaluable activity that stimulates imagination, expands vocabulary, and improves comprehension skills. By motivating children to read over the summer, they can avoid learning setbacks and keep their minds active. Another option is cooking together, which can also be an opportunity to explore mathematical concepts and improve reading comprehension by following recipes. These activities not only enhance academic skills but also cultivate a sense of curiosity and independence.

Furthermore, it is important to create opportunities for students to connect with their friends or make new friends. Hanging out one-on-one, virtual meetups, social media, local camps that engage their interests, and safe in-person events can help reduce feelings of isolation.

Community coalitions, such as Drug-Free Community Coalitions (DFC), can also support student mental health during the summer. These coalitions unite parents, educators, healthcare providers, and police to work towards common goals. By leveraging the strengths and resources of each member, community coalitions can create comprehensive prevention strategies that address the root causes of youth substance abuse and student mental health challenges.

The summer months present unique challenges for student mental health, but these challenges can be addressed with the right strategies and parental involvement. By focusing on how to keep your children active and engaged, communities and parents alike can create supportive environments that promote the well-being of students year-round. If you would like more information or resources on issues like general behavioral stress, depression, addiction, or other mental health-related issues in your communities, International Survey Associates offers many options to fit various needs.

Perfectionism and its Impact on Student Mental Health and Achievement

At Pride Surveys, our mission is driven by our commitment to work with our community partners and education coalitions to provide data, research, and resources surrounding and focusing on the issues affecting today’s youth and adolescents. Data collection is imperative in informing parents, students, educators, and community coalitions about how to have healthy students. This month we are focusing on perfectionism and its impact on student mental health and achievement.

We’re focusing on how the consequences of perfectionism often lead to stress and anxiety and ultimately impact student mental health and achievement. While we hear the phrase “I’m/he/she is a perfectionist” often, perfectionism in and of itself is not simply a matter of having high standards. Instead, most researchers define it as having three elements: First, someone holds unreasonable, if not impossibly high, standards. Second, they judge their own efforts, merits, and awards (and, many time, other people’s as well) with strong criticism. Finally, they base their sense of worth and self-esteem on whether or not those standards are met. They minimize their achievements and focus most of their time and effort on perceived flaws.

In a Canadian study, authors “tracked 604 teens from seventh to 12th grade and looked to examine both the relationship and typical sequence of events between academic achievement and perfectionism.” Researchers ultimately defined perfectionism as a “maladaptive personality style” involving self-sanctioned high standards linked to the development of anxiety and depression.

That particular study resulted in a concerning conclusion that proved most teens who consistently excel in their academic grades ultimately develop an unhealthy range of perfectionistic behaviors and manners. Across the board, researchers say good grades predicted higher perfectionism with every future year as well, with a correlation to higher amounts of anxiety and stress.

Perfectionism usually shows up differently from person to person, depending upon the above factors. Perfectionist behavior typically falls into two categories: behaviors that help perfectionists maintain their unreasonably high standards and those that support them avoid situations that remind them of their need to be perfect.

The outcomes of perfectionism range from a rigid, unyielding need for control to depression, anxiety, and suicidality which all ultimately impact achievement and mental health. What’s interesting about perfectionists is that they may fall into a character where they spend needless amounts of time on a paper or work task, or the complete opposite can happen as well. They avoid challenging situations entirely if they don’t think they can do them perfectly.

Often, people wonder if perfectionism is a disorder. Currently, it is not classified as one. Rather, it is a tendency or an outcome that underlies other mental health disorders like anxiety or depression. Perfectionism and mental health are then related in the sense that perfectionism plays a role in the development and continuation of many severe mental health conditions, like high functioning anxiety, when someone experiences anxiety symptoms but still usually functions in their daily lives, such as work and school. The person afflicted may even appear calm and confident to others, but underneath the surface, their inner voice obsessively speaks with fear, worry, and harsh self-talk about what they need to do or haven’t done well.

For parents, it becomes crucial to learn how to respond and react to your child and/or teenager if you think they are struggling with perfectionism and its mental health consequences. Emphasize trying versus perfection. Children notoriously take cues from their parents when it comes to perfectionism. If your child thinks a parent thrives on perfection, they will likely strive to be “perfect” to gain approval.

In addition, when a parent does talk to their child about performance, try to hone in on the new skills the child is learning and the areas where they are improving. By focusing on the process of learning and the process, it mitigates solely stressing over achievement.

Suppose you would like more information or notice signs of cyber or any type of bullying, behavioral stress, depression, addiction, or other mental health-related issues in your student or child. In that case, bringing in professionals and/or counselors is critical. If your community or school requires data collection to determine the mental health issues that may be occurring, please reach out to the Pride Surveys team. We offer many options to fit various needs.

Resources

https://studyfinds.org/school-success-perfectionism-depression/

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/01650254211037400

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brave-voices/202209/is-our-culture-overachievement-exhausting-our-youth

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/09/210928112443.htm

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-08242-9

https://psychcentral.com/anxiety/signs-of-high-functioning-anxiety

How the Mental Health Professional and Teacher Shortage Affects Students

At Pride Surveys, our mission is driven by our commitment to work with our partners in education and community coalitions to deliver research, data, and resources surrounding the issues affecting youth and adolescents, such as the mental health professional and teacher shortage.

This month, we’re looking at the critical mental health professional and teacher shortage happening all over United States schools and how this impacts students and their mental health. In 2022, the National Education Association reported that 80% of educators indicate that burnout is a serious problem and that 55% of educators now indicate that they are ready to leave the profession earlier than originally planned.

Research from the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future also reported a startling statistic that almost 50% of teachers quit the profession within their first five years. While these new statistics are severe, this has been a worsening issue for a long time.

In return, administrators and teachers are trying to pick up the pieces to compensate for lost staff. Nearly everywhere, we hear and read stories of instructional coaches attempting to fill in for teachers, as there is also a significant substitute teacher shortage. Because of the teacher shortage, educators have an increasingly difficult time doing their actual job of teaching that they’ve been originally hired to do.

We understand that with a crippling shortage comes massive ramifications for students, and none more than students attending underfunded schools. It is widely reported that predominately minority-attended schools tend to suffer from this shortage more than privately funded schools with predominately white students. When students are already at a disadvantage, it is made worse when they don’t have the tools or teachers to receive proper education to escape the vicious cycle of poverty in the United States.

Not only are educational opportunities at stake for America’s students, but their mental well-being is as well. Education Week reported that almost 40% of all school districts, enrolling 5.4 million students, did not have a psychologist in the first year of the pandemic. What’s more astonishing is that only 8% of districts met the National Association of School Psychologists’ recommended ratio of one school psychologist to 500 students.

While most districts did have a school counselor in the 2020-2021 school year, only 14% met the ratio of one school counselor to 250 students recommended by the American School Counselor Association. While there are people out there who argue that having teachers is more important than supplying the correct amount of licensed mental health professionals in school, that argument is outdated and simply incorrect.

What we know is that children and teenagers were suffering before the pandemic ever began. Adolescent suicide rates had widely increased in the decade before 2017, and a growing number of adolescents and teenagers reported symptoms of severe depression from 2005 onward.

The pandemic only served to worsen this crisis because not only was COVID-19 a stressful and anxious period for adults and children alike but there is now a whole generation of children and teens who lost somebody close to them during the pandemic. The grief of the pandemic is only really beginning to show itself.

When there are not enough counselors, psychologists, or a mental health professionals readily on campus to help spot and thoughtfully recognize signs of depression and anxiety, it is impossible to meet students’ mental health needs adequately. It’s not the counselor, mental health professional, or psychologist’s fault. Their overloaded caseloads mean that in a day, they can be trying to manage 1000s of students’ mental health. Additionally, mental health and learning are directly correlated. Students struggling with depression, anxiety, PTSD, or other trauma do not have the mental capacity to process the information given to them.

If you notice signs of suicidal behavior, behavioral stress, or depression, it is critical to reach out to a mental health professional. The new Suicide Hotline number is 988, which can be accessed by calling or dialing. If your community coalition or school requires data collection to determine the mental health issues and the impacts of the teacher shortage that may be occurring, please reach out to the Pride Surveys team. We offer a variety of options to fit many needs.

Resources
https://www.epi.org/publication/teacher-pay-gap-2018/

https://www.counselor-education.com/shortage-school-counselors/

https://www.weareteachers.com/teacher-shortage-statistics/

https://www.nea.org/about-nea/media-center/press-releases/nea-survey-massive-staff-shortages-schools-leading-educator#:~:text=ConductedbyGBAOStrategiesthe,theyloveearlierthanplanned.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2022/04/21/school-counselors-shortage/7280817001/?gnt-cfr=1

https://www.edweek.org/leadership/school-counselors-and-psychologists-remain-scarce-even-as-needs-rise/2022/03

https://www.k12dive.com/news/how-can-school-systems-sustain-federal-funding-address-teacher-shortages-cardona/625292/

How Substance Abuse And Mental Health Issues Impact Each Other

At Pride Surveys, we work with community coalitions, parents, and education partners to deliver consistently updated research, data, and resources surrounding the mental health issues and substance abuse issues affecting youth, among others.

It’s been reported that over 20 million people in the U.S. have a substance use disorder (SUD), with many becoming victims of the opioid epidemic still swarming the nation. During the height of the pandemic, the number of people living with mental health conditions and rates of substance misuse increased. One study found that adults, notably young adults, reported considerably elevated rates of mental health conditions during 2020 and 2021. Levels of substance misuse and suicidal ideation also increased around the nation, especially in teens.

According to the American Medical Association, every state in the United States reported a spike or increase in overdose deaths or other problems during the pandemic, concluding that many young people sought substances, such as fentanyl and opioids, as well as a form of self-medication for mental health conditions. When you simultaneously have a substance abuse problem and a mental health issue such as anxiety or depression, it is called a co-occurring disorder diagnosis. Dealing with substance abuse is undoubtedly not easy on its own, but it becomes increasingly more problematic when someone is also struggling with mental health. So, it begs the question: how does substance abuse affect mental health issues versus how mental health affects substance abuse?

In co-occurring disorders, mental health issues and substance addiction have their respective symptoms that may get in the way of someone’s ability to function at school, handle life’s challenges, keep a stable atmosphere, and get along with others. Together, the co-occurring disorders also affect one another, adding to the person’s inability to function with stability. Often, self-destruction begins to occur, whether in the form of cutting or eating disorders, or other symptoms.

We know that when a mental health problem goes untreated, the substance abuse problem typically worsens. When alcohol or drug abuse increases, mental health problems almost always increase. So it’s not necessarily one versus the other, and more a collective cycle that the two exist in together.

Now, can substance abuse without initial mental health complications occur? Yes. Plenty of young people prescribed painkillers for surgery ended up being addicted. And what we understand is that addiction and substance abuse almost always results in mental health issues because drugs and alcohol can have short-term effects on mental state. These can include changes in someone’s mood, concentration, ability to rationalize clearly, ability to relax, and perception of reality. Substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine can cause prolonged psychotic reactions, while alcohol can make any underlying history of depression and anxiety symptoms worse.

Since mental health issues are often caused by a complex web of genetics, someone’s environment, and other social influences, it’s still difficult to say if abusing substances can ever directly cause them. However, if someone is at risk for a mental health issue, using alcohol or drugs may topple that person over a metaphorical edge.

On the contrary, alcohol, and drugs are often used to self-medicate the symptoms of mental health problems, which is how many people end up in the cycle of co-diagnosis. Many people throughout history have often abused alcohol or drugs to ease symptoms of a mental disorder, whether it’s to cope with difficult emotions of grief or depression, to block out a traumatic event from their past, cope with heartache and loneliness, or to change their mood for a social event or situation temporarily. We know that self-medicating with drugs or alcohol causes side effects and, in the long run, almost always worsens the symptoms they initially helped to relieve.

Substance abuse may also sharply increase symptoms of mental illness or even trigger new symptoms that pertain to that particular mental illness. Abuse of alcohol or drugs can also interact with medications such as antidepressants, anxiety medications, and mood stabilizers, causing them to be less effective at managing symptoms and delaying recovery.

Substance use also alters levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. This can lead to mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety. People addicted to substances are twice as likely to have a mood or anxiety disorder.

If you notice signs of behavioral stress or depression in a student, it is imperative to reach out to professionals. If your community coalition or school requires data collection to determine the mental health issues that may be occurring, please get in touch with the Pride Surveys team. We offer a variety of options to fit many needs. Please contact our team at any point to learn more.

Resources

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/addictions/self-medicating.htm

https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drugs-brain

https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt29393/2019NSDUHFFRPDFWHTML/2019NSDUHFFR1PDFW090120.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6932a1.htm

The State of Student Mental Health

As the school year continues, so do COVID-19 and the new variants and associated challenges. Of particular concern to our education and community coalition partners are the pandemic’s impacts on youth, particularly the student mental health repercussions, including social, emotional, and behavioral health.

Pride Surveys works with our school and community coalition partners to develop student surveys specific to COVID-related challenges they have faced. Together with our partners, we quantify the resulting impacts in order to provide them with the tools to make plans and implement programs for positive change as it relates to student mental health.

With a glaring shortage of educators and resources for students and some schools returning to remote learning as COVID-19 cases surged, these are some of the current mental health impacts we see nationwide.

Pride Surveys | The State of Student Mental Health

Mental Health Emergencies

The U.S. Department of Education released data and resources surrounding child and student mental health during the COVID-19 era. Some of the alarming data they included in their report regarding student mental health was the increase in mental health-related emergency room visits. Between January and October 2020, there was a 24% uptick for 5–11-year-olds and 31% for 12–17-year-olds (Leeb et al., 2020). When children miss school due to hospitalizations or severe mental health issues, it creates difficulties, including staying caught up on schoolwork and becoming more isolated from their peers, which can become a cycle of additional negative mental health impacts.

Mental Health and Sleep Impacts

Parents are observing a difference in their children’s mental health at home. More than 25% of parents in the U.S. reported a decline in their children’s mental health. In addition, an increase in behavioral problems was reported by 14% of parents between March and June of 2020 (Patrick et al., 2020).

Adolescent sleep is also being negatively impacted. One in four children between 13 and 19-years-old surveyed during April and May 2020 reported an increase in sleep loss due to unhappiness, depression, strain and stress, and a lack of confidence (Margolius et al., 2020). From there, sleep affects cognitive function, leading to problems concentrating and studying, a drop in academic performance, and other challenges.

Child and Student Mental Health Support

While educators are doing everything possible to help mitigate mental health and social, emotional, and behavioral challenges from COVID-19, they desperately need parental and community support to help. Thankfully, many schools and school districts are taking increased measures and action to support change.

One notable example came from California’s Department of Education, which announced A Trusted Space: Redirecting Grief to Growth. This film-based program is designed to help address increasing mental health challenges students face during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will provide educators with strategies to build safe and trusted spaces for students to help mitigate the mental health challenges.

Another example is in Newark, NJ, where a districtwide mental health task force was announced. This will consist of creating school-specific mental health action plans and staff to execute. Other positive components include the intent to hire additional mental health experts and the current implementation of two minutes of morning guided meditation and deep breathing, yoga workshop access, and individual counseling for students.

Next Steps to Improve Student Mental Health

The hope is that more states and school districts will implement programs such as those mentioned above. Pride Surveys is always available and ready to provide support and resources as it pertains to student mental health. This includes COVID-19 student surveys, survey data to support funding applications, and other needs to help our education and community coalition partners support student mental health. Please contact us at any time to learn more.

Resources:

https://www2.ed.gov/documents/students/supporting-child-student-social-emotional-behavioral-mental-health.pdf

https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-releases-new-resource-supporting-child-and-student-social-emotional-behavioral-and-mental-health-during-covid-19-era

https://childmind.org/article/supporting-students-mental-health/

https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr22/yr22rel07.asp

https://newark.chalkbeat.org/2022/1/25/22899957/newark-student-mental-health-services

Student Mental Health Issues as They Return to School

Back to school is typically a happy time of year for many families as they return to daily routine, structure, reunite with friends, and enjoy extracurriculars. Now in the second year of returning to school during a pandemic, and with it being the first time many students have been to in-person school since March of 2020, there is a myriad of student mental health considerations that schools, parents, and communities need to address. Based on individual challenges students face, returning to school during a pandemic oftentimes means experiencing mental health issues, including anxiety, stress, and depression.

According to an observation by the U.S. Department of Education, “Nearly all students have experienced some challenges to their mental health and well-being during the pandemic, and many have lost access to school-based services and supports, with early research showing disparities based on race, ethnicity, LGBTQ+ identity, and other factors.”

Pride Surveys Mental Health Infographic

These are several common situations that are contributing to student mental health issues:

Homelessness

According to the most recent full-year data provided by the Children’s Defense Fund, over 1.5 million public school children experienced homelessness at some point during the 2017-18 school year. Experts report that the number of homeless students increased due to and during the pandemic. While the federal government is applying approximately $600 million that will go directly to school districts in part to help alleviate homelessness, that does not change the circumstances some of these children went through and are currently going through.

Additionally, many students rely on free meals during school, which is already challenging during the summer months, but became much more difficult to provide during the pandemic, creating another stressful situation of how they would access the meals they rely on daily.

These students have likely fallen behind during any part of the school year that was online due to not having access to the internet and other resources. School counselors, teachers, and administrators should do everything possible to work with these students due to the unimaginable burden and potential mental health issues as a result.

Loss of Friends and Family Members

USC research shows that as of April 2021, up to 43,000 children in the United States have lost a parent to COVID-19. The CDC reports over 626,000 people in the United States have died from COVID-19 thus far, as of August 24, 2021. These deaths have a significant impact on people of all ages. They can vastly contribute to student mental health issues, especially those children who have lost a family member or close friend. Data collection to understand the number of students who a loss has impacted is essential.

Grades and Education

Grades and quality of education are being affected by all the above. When students are experiencing stress and mental health challenges, their grades will likely be impacted. A lack of resources for virtual learning last school year caused a decrease in grades or many students not passing. Additionally, many students who did have access to a safe environment and the internet still had issues keeping up when they switched from in-person to virtual. All of these factors can impact student mental health.

General Pressure and Decision Making

Older students returning to school now have additional considerations, including whether to get vaccinated for those over 12, if they should wear a mask even if it is not mandated, any sick family members they are concerned about, and additional concerns about the Delta variant, in particular.

Supporting Students

Schools and parents must continue to collect important data related to student mental health issues and other impacts on students as the result of COVID-19. Pride Surveys has Student Surveys designed to help fully understand the effects of the pandemic on students so we can all work together to help alleviate student mental health issues and disparities in the quality of education students receive.

It is crucial to obtain a self-reported feel for some of the challenges schools and students face as they return to in-person learning. The more counseling and advisory resources and opportunities schools can provide for their students to improve student mental health issues and decrease stress, the better.

Pride Surveys is here and available to discuss appropriate questions for online and in-person student surveys. Contact us today to learn more.

Resources:

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/20210608-impacts-of-covid19.pdf

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/03/ed-school-dean-looks-at-post-pandemic-challenges-for-schools/

https://www.usnews.com/news/education-news/articles/2021-07-28/education-department-bolsters-services-for-homeless-children

https://news.usc.edu/184646/thousands-of-children-lost-a-parent-to-covid-19-usc-research/

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_casesper100klast7days

COVID-19 School Closures by State

COVID-19 has brought difficult decisions for educators, school boards, and parents regarding schools reopening, choosing to send children back to in-person versus a remote or hybrid option, and COVID-19 school closures by state for those schools that did reopen. Pride Surveys took a look at some of the trends across the country and whether schools reopening coincided with an uptick in positive COVID-19 cases.

EdWeek has a helpful up-to-date map that focuses on school opening status by state. To note, some schools fall under local education and public health jurisdiction versus a statewide mandate. A good part of the ambiguity and confusion exists because there is not currently a national tracker to determine the correlation between schools opening and an increase in COVID-19 cases nationwide.

Here are the current COVID-19 school closures by state and statuses for 10 states in the U.S.:

Arkansas

The Education Secretary has ordered schools to be open for in-person learning five days per week.

California

The state is currently under a partial closure. For example, in Los Angeles, officials at the nation’s second-largest school system told the Los Angeles Times campuses most likely will not reopen before January due to a recent rise in COVID-19 cases with San Francisco also planning a partial reopening in January.

Delaware

Delaware is currently under a partial closure order by the state. The governor expanded the state of emergency for 30 days on October 30^th and modified the state’s reopening criteria for schools. During the 2020-2021 school year thus far, schools have been in hybrid remote- and in-person instruction, with the current potential to move to full remote learning should cases continue to rise.

The District of Columbia

The District of Columbia Public Schools initially planned to resume in-person learning for a portion of the students on November 9th but shifted to all students remaining in distance learning until further notice.

Florida

A state emergency order required all schools to open in-person, and that presently remains in effect, though the state is currently averaging more than 3,000 new COVID-19 positive cases per day.

Georgia

Atlanta Public Schools announced that students will most likely not return to in-person learning until January 2021. Part of this decision most likely relates to two Fulton County schools closing within one week of reopening due to positive cases. There is not currently a statewide order, so it remains up to the districts.

Massachusetts

There is not currently a statewide order, but the governor and state education department have requested that all districts prioritize in-person learning for students.

In October, Boston Public Schools announced that they were moving to completely remote learning due to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the city.

New Mexico

New Mexico is currently under a partial school closure order, with elementary schools in counties with low spread approved to open under a hybrid schedule.

New York

In New York City, parents were given the choice and deadline of November 15^th to determine whether to enroll their children in hybrid learning for the remainder of the school year. Schools were abruptly closed on November 19^th and recently just reopened for students with special needs and for younger students.

West Virginia

West Virginia is currently under a statewide partial closure order, with cases and COVID-19 transmission rates evaluated each week to determine the instructional options allowed in each county. Some of the regions within West Virginia are not currently allowed to be open for in-person instruction.

As schools, states, departments of education, districts, and more continue to navigate and modify COVID-19 school closures by state, Pride Surveys is enhancing our survey offerings to support educators, students, and parents. Pride Surveys has created important new surveys designed to identify the COVID-19 Impacts on Students and Teachers, both short and long-term.

We remain committed to consistently providing our community coalition and school colleagues with up-to-date survey data and resources on issues related to COVID-19 and all topics impacting youth.

Should you have questions or be interested in an online or paper survey, please reach out to our team to learn more.

Note: The above information regarding COVID-19 school closures is accurate as of the posting date, November 30, 2020, and is subject to change.

Resources:

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/q-a-schools-and-covid-19?gclid=Cj0KCQiA7qP9BRCLARIsABDaZzjUTYjegHxNvu1mZ0O1wn8c0cWGcvKzzyImgPdPufbx059N1wDrI3QaAtwQEALw_wcB

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/no-matter-what-governor-says-florida-schools-will-stay-open/2309556/

https://decaturish.com/2020/10/fulton-county-closes-two-schools-within-days-of-returning-to-full-time-in-person-learning/

https://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/map-covid-19-schools-open-closed.html?s_kwcid=AL!6416!3!455874877102!b!!g!!school%20reopenings&gclid=CjwKCAiAtK79BRAIEiwA4OskBkyN8bIjPw5UFv8wnMAjW39VcctifUfCedN2cv7XDGORRF5ZfzpbrRoCDvUQAvD_BwE

https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2020/11/09/two-delaware-elementary-schools-close-covid-19-cases-spike-statewide/6221982002/

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/02/nyregion/nyc-schools-reopening.html

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-education/2020/10/29/arizona-schools-chief-governor-odds-over-new-school-closure-guidelines/6076296002/

https://www.wtap.com/2020/11/09/wva-officials-discuss-map-ohio-doctors-discuss-hospitalizations/

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/coronavirus-spreading-schools-no-one-tracking-all-outbreaks-n1236964