Distance Learning and Parental Mental Health During COVID-19

Abstract

As COVID-19 cases continue to increase across the country, there is a concern about the extent to which this pandemic will affect students. Since March 2020, schools transitioned to a distance-learning format, which unintentionally forced parents into new teaching roles as proxy educators. In this brief, we explore the association between distance learning and the mental health of proxy educators. We find that parents with children who struggled with distance learning experienced elevated mental distress. Given the relationship between teacher burnout and student outcomes, we argue the importance of supporting parents during this time to improve students’ schooling.