American Economic Journal:
Economic Policy
ISSN 1945-7731 (Print) | ISSN 1945-774X (Online)
Remote Instruction and Student Mental Health: Swedish Evidence from the Pandemic
American Economic Journal: Economic Policy
vol. 16,
no. 4, November 2024
(pp. 491–517)
Abstract
When COVID-19 reached Sweden, upper-secondary students (ages 17–19) transitioned to remote instruction, while lower-secondary schools (ages 14–16) remained open. We use this setting as a natural experiment to analyze how modes of instruction affect student mental health. We find a 4.4 percent decrease in mental health care use from remote instruction, primarily due to fewer diagnoses and prescriptions for depression and anxiety. The reduction persists throughout the study period; 21 months after the initial closure and 9 months after schools resumed usual operations. This suggests potential mental health benefits from remote instruction, at least in the medium term.Citation
Björkegren, Evelina, Helena Svaleryd, and Jonas Vlachos. 2024. "Remote Instruction and Student Mental Health: Swedish Evidence from the Pandemic." American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 16 (4): 491–517. DOI: 10.1257/pol.20220699Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- I12 Health Behavior
- I18 Health: Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
- I21 Analysis of Education
- I28 Education: Government Policy
- I31 General Welfare; Well-Being
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