Remote Instruction and Student Mental Health: Swedish Evidence from the Pandemic

Evelina Björkegren, Helena Svaleryd and Jonas Vlachos

American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 2024, vol. 16, issue 4, 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.

JEL-codes: I12 I18 I21 I28 I31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1257/pol.20220699

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