A recent study conducted in Germany observed that children who were homeschooled for longer periods of time experienced a lower quality of life. However, it is important to note that these effects were not seen in all cases.

In the spring of 2020, as the SARS-CoV-2 virus rapidly spread worldwide, governments implemented stringent measures, such as school closures, in order to contain the pandemic. These closures had a profound impact on students’ lives and mental well-being, particularly for younger children, boys, and those with limited living space. Researchers in Germany sought to examine the effects of extended periods of home schooling during the early months of the pandemic on the mental health of children aged 11 to 17. Their study, published in Science Advances, revealed that additional weeks of home schooling correlated with worsening mental health outcomes. The study utilized data on the duration of school closures for different student groups and responses from an ongoing mental health survey. The findings highlight the vulnerability of children to the instability and mental health challenges associated with prolonged school closures. However, previous research on the mental health consequences of school closures during the pandemic has produced mixed results, with some studies indicating increased depression and anxiety, while others demonstrated decreased demand for mental health care and decreased youth suicides during school closures. Germany presented a unique opportunity for this study, as its federal states had the authority to determine their own school policies during the pandemic. Each state implemented its own schedule for reopening schools, resulting in variations in the duration of home schooling across different grade levels. By comparing the responses of students in the same grade levels who returned to school at different time points, the researchers observed that extended periods of home schooling led to increased emotional health problems and depressive symptoms, but did not significantly affect anxiety levels. Overall, the study estimated that school closures resulted in an 11 percentage point decline in average well-being. However, different subgroups experienced varying effects, with younger children and boys being more negatively impacted. The reasons for these differences remain unclear. Additionally, children living in smaller living spaces experienced stronger negative effects, suggesting that the mental health burden of home schooling was disproportionately higher for economically disadvantaged children. The researchers also analyzed data from a nationwide mental health crisis hotline and found a decrease in calls about conflicts or problems with teachers and peers while schools were closed, along with an increase in calls about family concerns. The effects of school closures on mental health might not be fully captured by traditional measures such as doctor visits or suicides, making the combined use of multiple data sources significant. However, it is important to note that the sample size of students surveyed was relatively small when considering the various grade levels and state of residence. Thus, more evidence is needed to fully understand the long-term implications of school closures on mental health. Ongoing data collection from multiple time points suggests that mental health scores hit a low point in late 2020 but have since rebounded to some extent, although they have not yet reached pre-pandemic levels. It is worth considering that other global events, such as the climate crisis and conflicts like the war in Ukraine, may have contributed to these fluctuations. Furthermore, researchers are expanding their investigations to include multiple countries and continents in order to compare the impacts of school closures on social inequalities and child health. It is essential to avoid using these new findings to rekindle debates about the wisdom of school closures in response to COVID-19, as decisions were made based on the available information at the time. Instead, the study underscores the importance of schools and other institutions in promoting children’s resilience and psychological well-being to better prepare for future crises.