A Harvard analysis of over 185,000 schoolchildren in California found that reopening schools during the pandemic led to a 43% drop in new mental health diagnoses, especially among girls.

School reopening had strong mental health benefits, study finds

A new Harvard study has found that reopening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly improved children’s mental health, offering some of the strongest evidence yet of the impact of prolonged school closures on young people.

Researchers examined health records from more than 185,000 California schoolchildren, comparing mental health trends before and after schools resumed in-person classes.

Nine months after reopening, the likelihood of a child receiving a diagnosis such as anxiety or depression had fallen by 43%, according to the study’s findings

Decline in healthcare spending linked to mental health

The researchers also observed a reduction in mental health-related healthcare spending, suggesting that in-person schooling may not only support emotional wellbeing but also ease the financial burden of mental health treatment on families and insurers.

The benefits appeared to be especially pronounced among girls, who faced some of the highest rates of pandemic-related stress, isolation and academic disruption globally.

Importance of in-person schooling

According to the study, returning to classrooms restored crucial aspects of daily life for children—including routine, social interaction, academic support and access to counselling services. Experts note that these factors are difficult to replicate through virtual learning, particularly for younger students.

The findings strengthen calls from educators and mental health professionals who have long argued that extended school closures had profound unintended consequences on children’s emotional and behavioural health.

Study limitations

Researchers emphasised that the study had important limitations, chiefly that it focused on higher-income, privately insured children, which may not reflect the experiences of students from low-income families or those relying on public health systems.

Additionally, mental health diagnoses depend heavily on healthcare access, parental awareness and cultural factors, meaning some effects may be underreported or uneven across demographic groups.

Broader implications for education policy

While school closures were a public health necessity in many regions during the peak of COVID-19, the study’s results highlight the need for policymakers to balance emergency interventions with long-term developmental and psychological impacts on children.

The research may inform future decisions on how to support students during crises and how to structure learning environments that protect academic progress and mental wellbeing simultaneously.

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Harvard study children, school reopening mental health, COVID-19 education impact, child wellbeing research, California student study, pandemic school closures, newskarnataka