COVID-19 and the Class of 2020: A National Study of the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Leaving Certificate Students in Ireland

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: COVID-19 and the Class of 2020: A National Study of the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Leaving Certificate Students in Ireland
Language: English
Authors: Quinn, Penny (ORCID 0000-0002-3510-8172), McGilloway, Sinead (ORCID 0000-0003-0988-3201), Burke, Jolanta (ORCID 0000-0003-2209-782X)
Source: Irish Educational Studies. 2021 40(2):375-384.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 10
Publication Date: 2021
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, COVID-19, Pandemics, School Closing, Well Being, Mental Health, Secondary School Students, Learning Motivation, Student Motivation, Coping, Emotional Response, Physical Health, Affective Behavior, Psychological Patterns, Distance Education
Geographic Terms: Ireland
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Academic Motivation Scale
DOI: 10.1080/03323315.2021.1916564
ISSN: 0332-3315
Abstract: The coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt education in unprecedented ways. The first school closures in Ireland took place in March 2020, affecting many students, but especially those who were preparing for their end-of-school Leaving Certificate (LC) examinations. The aim of this study was to assess the extent to which COVID-19 had impacted the health and wellbeing of the 'class of 2020'. Some comparisons were also made with a 2015 health and wellbeing survey undertaken in Ireland. A total of 959 LC students completed an online survey. The findings demonstrated substantial negative impacts of COVID-19 on overall health and wellbeing. The comparison with the 'pre-COVID' (2015) sample of LC students also showed that the current cohort was faring statistically significantly worse across several domains. This is the only study to investigate the health and wellbeing of this cohort in the context of COVID-19. The findings provide important insights into impacts on student mental health and wellbeing; they also raise questions about how those who went on to Third Level, are faring, in light of continuing disruption to their studies and in the context of the already large numbers of Third Level students presenting with mental health problems in Ireland (and elsewhere).
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2021
Accession Number: EJ1306147
Database: ERIC
Be the first to leave a comment!
You must be logged in first