Student Mental Health Since COVID-19 and Teachers’ Culturally Relevant and Emotionally Supportive Practices: A National Survey Report

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Abstract

Social justice issues and the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a time of unprecedented distress for students. Teachers may have utilized different strategies to support student mental health. In this study, we surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,449 K-12 teachers to examine the relationships between student mental health and teachers’ use of emotionally-supportive and culturally-relevant practices. Structural equation modeling found that student mental health decline was associated with more use of emotional-supportive, but not culturally-relevant strategies. These relationships were stronger in classrooms with majority students from immigrant homes, but not classrooms with majority BIPOC students. Results highlight teachers’ responsive use of emotional support, and emphasize the need for teachers’ use of culturally-relevant strategies, particularly in classrooms with majority BIPOC students.

Authors

• Diane Lee, University of Southern California

• Erika A. Patall, University of Southern California

• Amanda Vite, University of Southern California

• Jeanette Zambrano, California State University - San Bernardino