Children With Existing Mental Health Conditions at Least Twice as Likely to Experience School Disengagement Post Pandemic

Researchers found evidence that children diagnosed with mental health conditions were two to three times more likely to experience disengagement from school in the years following the 2019 start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study in the November 2025 Pediatrics. A study, “School Disengagement Among Children with Mental Health Conditions Pre-and-Intra COVID-19 Pandemic” (published online Oct. 15), studied data collected by the National Survey of Children's Health before the pandemic, during lockdown, and throughout the two years that followed. Results showed that among children ages 12 to 17, those with diagnosed mental health disorders struggled significantly more than their peers in school through 2022. Authors suggested that children living with mental health conditions faced added challenges in maintaining engagement likely due to greater stress, disrupted routines and family structures, and limited support access during the pandemic. The social isolation and uncertainty the pandemic brought may have further exacerbated mental health struggles in children even after the lockdown, the research states. The authors conclude that screening for school disengagement is crucial and urged pediatricians to address this question in their practices to minimize the potential harm. 

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.