The Impacts of Remote Learning and In-Person Instruction Transitions on the Mental Health of Children and their Caregivers

While the COVID-19 pandemic was initially rooted in social unity and acceptance of lockdown procedures, long-standing social distancing measures have kept students out of the physical classroom on and off for nearly two years. The instability of transitions and outcomes of remote learning has gained attention, mainly as frustrations over increased transmission rates and subsequent quarantines occur. Evidence has shown that the pandemic has had negative mental health outcomes on the caregivers of school-aged children. Still, there have been no known studies regarding the effects of shifting transitions between virtual and traditional learning modalities. The present study examined caregivers’ and children’s mental health experiences with remote and return to in-person learning and the correlation between caregiver and child mental health throughout the transition of learning platforms through survey data. A series of ANCOVA models showed that 74% of participants indicated that they and their children showed an increase in at least one mental health concern during remote learning. Post-hoc analysis showed a significant decrease in children’s mental health concerns after their return to in-school learning. These results suggest that more support for caregivers and students during shifting learning modalities is necessary to reduce negative mental health symptoms.