The Coronavirus Pandemic's Impact on Middle School Students' Mental Health
Document
Item Description
A Doctoral Capstone Project
Linked Agent
Author: Williams, Evan Price
Date Created
2023
Abstract
This study was begun to understand the coronavirus pandemic’s impact upon middle school student mental health. Educators had academic measures with which to measure
learning loss; however, there was no test to measure the pandemic’s effect upon student mental health. Through analysis of the Pennsylvania Youth Survey, PAYS, a student self-reporting tool, and guidance counselor interviews, the researcher hypothesized that the coronavirus pandemic’s impact upon student mental health could be ascertained, as well
as a strategy for remediating that impact. The researcher sought to answer what mental health challenges were revealed through PAYS, how those challenges correlated to the
guidance counselors’ observations, what the sources of student mental health challenges were, and how schools and school personnel could confront those challenges. Through a
mixed-methods approach, this study analyzed PAYS data from three middle schools in northern Dauphin County for mental health trends leading up to and during the pandemic.
Through in-depth interviews with the school guidance counselors, this study assessed the conditions students reported, student reporting integrity, the conditions that guidance
counselors observed, and the possible strategies to combat the mental health impact of the pandemic. The researcher concluded that the coronavirus pandemic had a significant
impact upon student mental health, producing anxiety and depression resulting in increased suicidal ideations, and increased instances of self-harm.
learning loss; however, there was no test to measure the pandemic’s effect upon student mental health. Through analysis of the Pennsylvania Youth Survey, PAYS, a student self-reporting tool, and guidance counselor interviews, the researcher hypothesized that the coronavirus pandemic’s impact upon student mental health could be ascertained, as well
as a strategy for remediating that impact. The researcher sought to answer what mental health challenges were revealed through PAYS, how those challenges correlated to the
guidance counselors’ observations, what the sources of student mental health challenges were, and how schools and school personnel could confront those challenges. Through a
mixed-methods approach, this study analyzed PAYS data from three middle schools in northern Dauphin County for mental health trends leading up to and during the pandemic.
Through in-depth interviews with the school guidance counselors, this study assessed the conditions students reported, student reporting integrity, the conditions that guidance
counselors observed, and the possible strategies to combat the mental health impact of the pandemic. The researcher concluded that the coronavirus pandemic had a significant
impact upon student mental health, producing anxiety and depression resulting in increased suicidal ideations, and increased instances of self-harm.
Resource Type
State System Era
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Institution
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