New Study Links School Lockdowns to Student Mental Health Challenges

New Study Links School Lockdowns to Student Mental Health Challenges

By: Alexandra de Leon Date: February 4th, 2025

A recent study published in the Journal of School Health examines the impact of school lockdowns on youth mental health.

This study assessed the association between school lockdowns and changes in youth mental health in over 10,000 children who participated in the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) study.

Researchers found that students who experience lockdowns due to violent or firearm-related threats may face increased mental health challenges, including anxiety, somatic disorders, and stress-related issues.

Additionally, students who experienced a school lockdown in the past year and reported clinical levels of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) had more than twice the odds of indicating that the lockdown had a significant impact on them compared to their peers without ADHD. Similarly, those with clinical levels of stress problems had nearly three times the odds of reporting a substantial impact from the lockdown.

The research, led by Dr. Keith Hullenaar, highlights significant findings that are crucial for educators, policymakers, and mental health professionals.

“There’s a great need to prioritize mental health support following lockdown events,” says Dr. Hullenaar, HIPRC Postdoctoral Fellow. “Implementing comprehensive emergency preparedness plans that include mental health interventions can help mitigate the adverse effects of lockdowns on vulnerable student populations.”

Findings from this work suggest that schools, in collaboration with mental health professionals, must prioritize the identification of students with predisposed anxiety or related disorders, ensuring they receive targeted support post-lockdown events. Additionally, all students should receive post-lockdown interventions and accommodations.

Funding for this work was supported by a Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Institutional Training Grant (T32; 5T32HD057822–13; K99/R00; 1K99HD112509). The results were published January 2025 in the Journal of School Health.

Investigators on this study represent the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington (UW); the Department of Civil Society and Community Studies at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison; the Department of Pediatrics and the Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center at the UW School of Medicine; and the Department of Epidemiology at the School of Public Health.

To further explain these findings, Dr. Keith Hullenaar has created a YouTube video breaking down the study’s key points. Watch it here: https://youtube.com/shorts/VzOqCi9AZv0