Schoolless life and mental health of publicschool students in the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

 This study analyzes the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on students’ mental health during part of the suspension of in-person classes. The study is a cross-sectional survey carried out from October2020 to December 2020. An online self-report questionnaire was answered by thirteen- to twenty-year old students, from the 9th grade (Middle School) to high school, who followed remote school activities in 21 state and municipal public schools located in peripheral areas of the cities of São Paulo and Guarulhos.
Two linear regression models were used in the analysis, considering as dependent variables the depression scores as provided by the Child Depression Inventory and anxiety by the SCARED (Screen for Child
Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders). The time of exposure to the screens, the inversion of sleep periods and the female gender, along with the difficulties of remote education and other social markers (such
as color/race and cases of COVID-19 at home) are associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety during the first wave of the COVID-19 in the Metropolitan area of São Paulo.