The global COVID-19 pandemic has affected how society functions and operates. The academic and educational perspective provides us interesting feedback on how schools, more specifically children, have confronted this unprecedented challenge as they moved quickly into online formats as their teaching settings instead of their typical classroom environment. This results in several possible stressors that can cause mental health challenges for anyone regardless of a previous history of mental health challenges. The school setting would usually provide teachers with the opportunity to identify said stressors and handle the rise of a mental health challenge. However, the current scenario limits the opportunity to identify said challenges as they might go undetected.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 15 to 20% of students could be identified as needing support. Statistically speaking, this number is expected to increase as the number of potential emotional downfalls is higher than before. The APA proposes a possible solution using frequent screening methods to address any mental health challenges that may arise. In collaboration with faculty and staff, teachers may be asked to nominate students who appear to be excessively anxious or frequently sad. The scores on these questionnaires can be used to identify a student who might appear at risk for anxiety or depression. Said questionnaires can be completed again a few weeks later to determine whether their mental health challenges are enduring.
The initiative of having students complete questionnaires is beneficial as it identifies students who might be at risk for emotional difficulties. However, schools need to have a plan of action to connect their students to the appropriate service. This could take place either through the school or through a community agency that treats youth with mental health disorders. Given the many mental health challenges that students may experience both during and after the pandemic, educators need to assist in identifying at-risk students through systematic screening; advocate for universal screening for the student population; and increase awareness of the importance of mental health screening within their colleagues as well as the school and parents.
Link to article: https://www.apa.org/topics/covid-19/student-mental-health