362 School Counselors Describe Pandemic’s Effect on Kids

362 School Counselors Describe Pandemic’s Effect on Kids

At a time when child and adolescent mental health has been called “a national emergency, ” a New York Times survey of 362 school counselors described U.S. schoolchildren in post-pandemic America as lagging behind in their ability to “learn, cope and relate.” An astonishing 94% of the counselors interviewed described students as showing more signs of anxiety and depression than pre-pandemic, 88% said kids were having difficulty regulating emotions and almost three-quarters said they were worse at solving conflicts with friends. The survey also revealed understaffed schools, with many counselors “putting out fires” instead of doing “preventative work.” (Source: NYT)