The COVID Pandemic and Youth Mental Health: Know the Facts

By Sam Piha 

Source: www.pexels.com

Young people have proven to be especially vulnerable to mental health issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. School closures, having to learn remotely, and isolating from friends due to physical distancing have been sources of stress and loneliness. While COVID learning loss in math and reading are of high concern, research about how students are doing mentally and emotionally since the coronavirus pandemic began indicates they are not doing well. 

We are still learning about how the pandemic has impacted young people’s mental health. It is important that youth workers and afterschool leaders are aware of the facts. Below we cite some of what we know about mental health and the impact of the COVID pandemic. NOTE: It is important that we not over pathologize young people's mental health, but remember to identify and tap into their assets. 

Obstacles To Learning
In a recent survey of youth (222,837 students at 845 schools across 20 states) reported that “…depression, stress, and anxiety are the biggest barriers to their learning. Teachers have also noted that dealing with student behavioral and mental health issues has been the biggest barrier to addressing unfinished learning.” - Arianna Prothero, ED Week

Know The Signs to Look For
Youth workers are not trained mental health experts. They do not have the training to diagnose mental health problems, however it is important to know the signs and symptoms to look out for. Below we cite a list of symptoms to look out for, originally published by Mental Health America.

“Symptoms that happen across multiple conditions:

• Problems with concentration, memory, or ability to think clearly
• Changes in appetite
• Feeling sad, empty, hopeless, or worthless
• Loss of interest in things that they used to enjoy
• Excessive worry
• Irritability or restlessness
• Changes in sleep
• Angry outbursts
• Not wanting to be around people or take part in activities

Other things to look out for:

• Hearing or seeing things that other people don’t
• Extreme panic
• Onset of new behaviors or rituals that are repeated
• Mood swings or frequent shifts in energy
• Changes in how they dress –if your child is wearing long pants and sleeves in hot weather, or hats all of a sudden, they could be hiding signs of self-injury like cutting or hair pulling.”

Risk Factors
We know that all youth who suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic are at risk for mental health issues. However, not all youth are at the same level of risk. We cite some risk factors that youth workers should be aware of. According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on Protecting Youth Mental Health, these are the risk factors contributing to youth mental health symptoms during the pandemic: 

• Having mental health challenges before the pandemic 
• Living in an urban area or an area with more severe COVID-19 outbreaks
• Having parents or caregivers who were frontline workers
• Having parents or caregivers at elevated risk of burnout (for example, due to parenting demands) 
• Being worried about COVID-19
• Experiencing disruptions in routine, such as not seeing friends or going to school in person
• Experiencing more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as abuse, neglect, community violence, and discrimination
• Experiencing more financial instability, food shortages, or housing instability 
• Experiencing trauma, such as losing a family member or caregiver to COVID-19

(Note: Not a comprehensive list of risk factors)

Who Are Most at Risk?
Recent studies are showing that at highest risk are youth in foster care, and youth in poverty.  And LGBTQ+ youth.  

Foster Care: “Young people placed in foster care are already dealing with a higher level of uncertainty than other young people. Placement in foster care can be disruptive and traumatizing, requiring enormous adjustments. Adding the upheaval caused by the pandemic can increase the feelings of instability for those in foster care.” – National Library of Medicine

Urban Poverty: “The current mental health system is failing to meet the extensive needs of children living in urban poverty. After school programs, whose mission includes children's socialization, peer relations, and adaptive functioning, are uniquely positioned to support and promote children's healthy development.” – National Library of Medicine

Source: www.pexels.com

LGBTQ+ Youth

LGBTQ+ youth are at higher risk for experiences leading to learning obstacles, bullying, and higher rates of depression, stress, anxiety, suicidal thinking and behavior. To raise awareness, we cite some findings from Youth Truth: Emotional and Mental Health.

On Obstacles to Learning:

“Sexual orientation matters when considering obstacles to learning, particularly for middle school students. At the middle-school level, gay or lesbian students (79 percent) and bisexual students (79 percent) report at more than double the percentage of their heterosexual classmates (39 percent) that depression, stress, and anxiety impede their learning.” 

Source: Youth Truth: Emotional and Mental Health

On Bullying:

“Over a quarter of our youngest secondary students identify bullying as a top five obstacle to learning… For gender non-binary and LGBTQ+ youth, bullying is a formidable weight that adds to their overall obstacle- to-learning load.

The only high school group to report at a significantly larger percentage than the overall (8 percent) that bullying is an obstacle to learning are non- binary students (17 percent). And at the middle-school level the only two groups to report that bullying is an obstacle to learning at a significantly higher rate than the overall (19 percent) are LGBTQ+ students (27 percent) and non- binary students (34 percent).” 

On Suicidality:

“There is no significant difference in the percentage of youth reporting that they have considered suicide in the previous year by grade level or by race; however, there are alarming differences by gender identity and LGBTQ+ status. 

A full 32 percent of LGBTQ+ middle school students report that they have considered suicide, four and half times higher that their non-LGBTQ+ peers (7 percent). And this pattern holds in high school where again 32 percent of LGBTQ+ students report that they have seriously considered suicide compared to their peers (8 percent).” 

Source: Youth Truth: Emotional and Mental Health

 

UPCOMING WEBINARS:

MANAGING CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR IN AFTERSCHOOL: This webinar will focus on managing challenging behavior, supporting kids who struggle, finding your footing (spot) when the behavior of certain kids (or parents!) pushes your buttons. Our featured presenter will be family therapist and school consultant, Sheri Glucoft Wong, LCSW. We will then hear from a panel of afterschool leaders and ask for comments and questions of the registrants. To learn more and register, click here.

PROMOTING KINDNESS IN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS: This webinar will focus on strategies of how we can promote kindness in our afterschool programs. Our featured presenter will be Stu Semigran, Co- Founder and President of The EduCare Foundation. He just authored a book entitled, Heartset Education: A Way of Living and Learning. Following his presentation, registrants will have the opportunity to share their strategies and ask questions. To learn more and register, click here.

LGBTQ+ and Youth Allyship

By Guest Blogger Eva Jo Meyers, Spark Decks

Eva Jo Meyers

According to an article published in Keshet this summer, crisis calls to the Trevor Project’s hotline doubled during the quarantine.

Prior to the pandemic, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2017 LGBTQ teen survey showed that:

• 77% of LGBTQ teenagers surveyed reported feeling depressed or down over the past week; 95% percent of LGBTQ youth reported trouble sleeping at night; and more than 70% reported feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness in the past week;

• Only 26% said they always feel safe in their school classrooms -- and just 5% said all of their teachers and school staff are supportive of LGBTQ people;

• 67% reported that they’d heard family members make negative comments about LGBTQ people


In addition, according to CDC data taken from the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior (YRBS) Survey of LGBTQ students,

• 10% were threatened or injured with a weapon on school property

• 34% were bullied on school property

• 28% were bullied electronically

It is because of statistics like these that Spark Decks said, “Yes!” when we were approached about making a deck to support LGBTQ+ Youth Allyship. Or, actually, what we said was, “NO! But we will work with young people to create a deck BY youth, for youth.” And so that’s what we did.

Like the name suggests, Spark Decks are decks of cards. Each card contains one idea, or “micro-practice” that can be implemented in youth-serving programs. We have decks on topics ranging from SEL to Supporting English Language Learners, to Self-Care. Users pick one card at a time, try it out in their program, and then reflect on how it went.

But while all of our previous decks have been for adults, this one is different - because this one is for youth. 

Source: Eva Jo Meyers, Spark Decks

Thanks to the support of San Francisco’s Department of Children, Youth, and Their Families (DCYF), this past fall, prior to shelter-in-place orders, we hosted six sessions with Middle, Highschool, and Transitional-Aged youth, focusing on the question, “What can an ally do to support LGBTQ+ youth and staff at our school?” 

We started each session with an icebreaker, then spent time discussing the statistics outlined above. Did these numbers match participants’ experience? (Yes!) Did any of the statistics surprise them? (Yes!) 

After creating collages that illustrated allyship, (you can see parts of the collages on the box of the new deck!), we spent an hour doing a brainstorm activity to generate ideas about how an ally could be a support, and put those ideas into categories. It’s those ideas and categories that now live in our new “LGBTQ+ Youth Allyship” deck.

Source: www.spark-decks.com

As with all Spark Decks, the new deck has 52 ideas, culled from the six sessions. Based the cards, here are a few actions youth in your program might consider implementing during the pandemic, and beyond:

• If you’re in a Zoom session, don’t assume someone’s gender. Instead, ask people via private chat what pronouns they use.

• Be vocal about your support of LGBTQ+ people at your program or school. Be loud and proud!

• Advocate and plan classes, clubs, and assemblies online through your school so that people can learn more about LGBTQ+ support, issues, and history. 

• Plan an online fundraiser that makes money for an organization that helps LGBTQ+ youth. Make the fundraiser event fun - like a trivia or comedy night online.

• Let LGBTQ+ people know that they are safe when they are around you - whether in a Zoom class or on Social Media - and that you will not let anyone hurt or tease them.


Once the school year gets underway, Spark Decks will be offering Training-of-Trainer style workshops that teach staff how to run an allyship workshop using the deck either at their sites -  or virtually. 

And what did participants have to say about being part of the project? “That people will dedicate themselves to learning pronouns is inspiring.” “I learned that it is really important to be an EDUCATED ally.” “I learned that advocacy starts with communication and collaboration.” “Thank you for holding space for us to talk about this.”

I hope you will all join me in making space to “talk about this,” even - and especially - during the pandemic.

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Eva Jo Meyers is the co-founder of Spark Decks and the author of the book, “Raise the Room: A practical guide to participant-centered facilitation.” She has held positions as a program leader, manager, and district coordinator for afterschool programs. To learn more about Spark Decks, visit www.spark-decks.com.

Check out My Pal, Luke! My Pal, Luke is designed to address many social emotional elements through his words and questions, including a check-in with kids. Luke also reads his favorite books and educates kids on how to make sense of current events and the COVID-19 pandemic. It can be easily embedded in distance learning efforts or used with in- person programming. To watch an introduction to My Pal, Luke, click here.

Youth Voice: "I am not an illegal alien. I am not a terrorist nor lazy. And I am, most definitely, not uneducated."

By Sam Piha

We hear a lot about the plight of undocumented immigrants. But we don’t often hear from young people. Angie’s story in her own words is below. 

In a future post, we will interview an organizational leader on how afterschool programs can support undocumented youth or youth with undocumented family members.

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My name is Angie. My preferred gender pronouns are she/her. They/them is also okay with me. 

I was born in Huazuntlan, a small village in Veracruz. In my infant years I didn't know who my mother was, for she had immigrated to the United States after I was born, leaving me and my brother under my grandmother’s wing. For four years I struggled with the faceless image of a mother I had never met, and wondered if I would ever get the privilege of doing so. 

Now that I'm old enough to reflect on my experience, I can fully understand my mother’s reasoning for leaving: all she wanted was to give us the life she never had. Because I was very young, four years old to be exact, my remembrance of my immigration experience is very foggy. 

But this is how it had gone down:

My mother had met a lady in the U.S. not much older than her. She vented to her on the amount of pain she felt every second of every hour because she had left my brother and I. This opened the woman's eyes to what she thought was easy money. My mother ended up paying her $10,000 with the hope that she would see us soon, and that we would finally be reunited. However, things didn't go as planned. 

My brother and I had left our village at four in the morning, way too early for an eight and four year old. We were taken to an airport where we boarded a plane that would take us to Tijuana, where we would meet up with the supposed ‘fairy godmother’ that would ‘reunite’ us with our mom. Meeting her was a very frightening thing. Her face is just another blurry image lost in my head but I remember her skin being lighter than anyone I'd ever met before. Once we greeted her, we were taken to a hotel in which we spent a day. After the day had passed by, we checked out of the hotel and proceeded to face the frightening border. 

During our time with the woman, my brother and I were coached on what we had to say when it came to the border patrol. We were given new identities that we were expected to memorize in one day. This was an easy task for me, but when it came to my brother (who was very sleepy at the time) he ended up messing up.  

Quickly after being caught, we were taken to a detention center. As soon as we entered, our shoelaces were taken off of our shoes and we were put into a windowless room with about 12 other people. There were no beds and the bathrooms had no doors to them. The floor was basically our bed and we were only given one blanket per person. We were held there for three days. 

After the three days had passed, parents began to get called. Of course my mother was in the U.S, so it was impossible for her to pick us up. Because of this, my brother and I were separated and taken to separate orphanages. For a whole week I didn't know anything about my brother. I was back in that state of having no one. I was four years old, and I had now lost both my brother and mom: I was scared, empty, alone. 

When asked, Angie explained her painting (above) by saying, "I feel trapped inside figurative and literal borders. These borders include: attending and graduating college, getting a job, and not being able to visit my family back in Mexico". 

Thankfully, my eldest aunt had a tendency of coming back and forth between the United States and Mexico. She had found out about the situation and was now going to be our savior. Seeing her felt like such a relief because now there was hope. We picked up my brother and he hugged me way harder than he'd ever hugged me before. 

Shortly after, we met up with two coyotes (people who smuggle Latin Americans across the US border) who would, rightfully, do their job in reuniting my family once again. I was the smallest one out of the four of us (my brother, aunt and cousin-who made the decision in crossing with us as well). I had to go first. We were separated once again.

I was put in the trunk of a car, along with one of the coyotes who was there for ‘moral’ support. It was hot and it was very hard to breathe. I was told that I had to remain calm and quiet in order to not get caught once again. I obliged and soon after, the trunk was being opened and I was being released to my ‘new beginning’. This was when I met my mother for the first time. The rest is history. The rest of my family arrived about two weeks later and we began our new life together. 

Being undocumented has, and will always be, a big part of who I am as a person. I have had to face many struggles, but I am thankful that I now have my family to go through it with.

Being an immigrant has always been seen as a ‘negative’ thing, and even was a taboo subject for all of us. But I can now proudly say that I am tired of hiding away my identity. I am not an illegal alien. I am not a terrorist nor lazy. And I am, most definitely not uneducated. 

I am not alone. 
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Angie is 17 years old and a senior in high school. She plans to attend San Jose State University where she hopes to study criminal psychology and childhood development. Angie loves painting and often shares her identity as an undocumented person, and a member of the LGBTQ+ community through her art. Angie hopes to become a voice for undocumented youth who were never encouraged to strive for more, or who were too afraid due to their status.


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You can read other blogs by the LIAS project by going to: 

• Expanded Learning 360°/365 Project website
• LIAS Blog Written for the California Afterschool Network

The Gender Creative Child: A Radio Interview with Dr. Diane Ehrensaft

By Sam Piha

Sam Piha

It is important that educators and youth development specialists understand the latest thinking on the needs of transgender youth. To support this, we worked with Diane Ehrensaft to develop a briefing paper entitled Understanding Gender Identity in Young People: A Briefing Paper for Afterschool Programs. We also interviewed Dr. Ehrensaft, which we posted on our LIAS blog in two parts (see Part 1 and Part 2). 

Dr. Ehrensaft, co-founder of UCSF’s Child and Adolescent Gender Center, coined the term “gender creative child” to describe children whose gender identity is not reflected in the male or female box that was checked on their birth certificates. 

Mina Kim (Left) | Dr. Diane Ehrensaft (Right)

Dr. Ehrensaft talked with Mina Kim on KQED’s Forum program about the experience of gender nonconformity and discussed her new book, “The Gender Creative Child: Pathways for Nurturing and Supporting Children Who Live Outside Gender Boxes.” We thought our readers would benefit by hearing Dr. Ehrensaft in her own words. This radio broadcast can be heard by clicking below. 

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Diane Ehrensaft, Ph.D. is an associate professor of Pediatrics at the University of California San Francisco and a developmental and clinical psychologist in the San Francisco Bay Area, with a private practice in Oakland, California.  She is Director of Mental Health of the Child and Adolescent Gender Center and chief psychologist at the Child and Adolescent Gender Center Clinic at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. She specializes in research, clinical work, and consultation related to gender-nonconforming children, lecturing, publishing, and serving as an expert witness on both topics nationally and internationally.

Dr. Ehrensaft is author of Gender Born, Gender Made; Mommies, Daddies, Donors, Surrogates; Building a Home Within (co-edited with Toni Heineman); Spoiling Childhood; Parenting Together; and the new release, The Gender Creative Child.  Dr. Ehrensaft serves on the Board of Directors of Gender Spectrum, a national organization addressing the needs of gender-expansive children and their families. 

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You can read other blogs by the LIAS project by going to: 

• Expanded Learning 360°/365 Project website 
• LIAS Blog written for the California AfterSchool Network