{"id":5254,"date":"2020-08-12T19:00:16","date_gmt":"2020-08-12T19:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prichard-backup.com\/July\/2020\/08\/12\/kentucky-students-report-strong-mental-health-impact-of-pandemic-disruption-in-statewide-survey\/"},"modified":"2022-09-27T19:49:40","modified_gmt":"2022-09-27T19:49:40","slug":"kentucky-students-report-strong-mental-health-impact-of-pandemic-disruption-in-statewide-survey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prichard-backup.com\/July\/kentucky-students-report-strong-mental-health-impact-of-pandemic-disruption-in-statewide-survey\/","title":{"rendered":"Kentucky students report strong mental health impact of pandemic disruption in statewide survey"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image alignment=”center” image=”12217″ animation=”fadeInUp”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text animation=”fadeInLeft”]August 12, 2020<\/b><\/p>\n

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/b>
\n<\/span><\/i>For More Information Contact:
\nJessica Fletcher<\/strong>, Senior Director, Communications & External Affairs
\n(cell) 859-539-0511
\njessica.fletcher@prichardcommittee.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Emanuelle Sippy<\/strong>, Student Director, Prichard Committee Student Voice Team
\nstudentvoiceteam@prichardcommittee.org<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][wyde_heading subheading_tag=”h3″ style=”2″ title=”Kentucky students report strong mental health impact of pandemic disruption in statewide survey” subheading=”Prichard Committee Student Voice Team releases results of Coping with COVID Student Survey” animation=”slideInLeft”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text animation=”fadeInRight”]<\/p>\n

Kentucky middle and high school students experienced significant behavioral and emotional changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the interruption in a traditional learning environment, according to The Prichard Committee Student Voice Team (SVT).<\/p>\n

During a student-led news conference Wednesday afternoon, members of the SVT outlined their\u00a0summary report containing findings<\/a>\u00a0from their statewide\u00a0Coping with COVID Student Survey<\/em>. The high school researchers shared key themes and data highlights they gleaned from the 9,475 middle and high school students representing 573 schools and 119 of 120 Kentucky counties who completed the survey they designed last May.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur survey showed many Kentucky students felt a need for mental health services, and some for the first time, during the pandemic,\u201d Nyasha Musoni, a senior at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Lexington. \u201cMany students who already were struggling also said they were unable to access these services when schools closed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Musoni noted that students from the lowest socio-economic backgrounds reported nearly double the rates of depression than other students.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know from our research that there is a strong correlation between academic success and students\u2019 emotional health and that it is especially pronounced when students are feeling financially insecure,\u201d said Musoni. \u201cEmotional support for our most economically vulnerable will be a key strategy to ensuring better academic progress this fall.\u201d<\/p>\n

Survey results<\/a>\u00a0also showed that educational experiences appear to be linked to emotional experiences. Older students tended to have more negative emotional changes; 23.4% of middle school respondents felt more anxious, versus 41.9% of 11th and 12th grade respondents.<\/p>\n

Lack of adequate access to technology, increased responsibilities at home and work, and changes in physical, financial, and emotional safety and stability all created new challenges for students, according to respondents:<\/p>\n