Factors Associated with Psychological Morbidity Among School Students During COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons from the Peritraumatic Phase for Future Management

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has increased the prevalence and burden of psychological morbidity in school students. This study attempted to assess the factors associated with psychological morbidity in school students during the peritraumatic phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. We collected data from 16,738 school students in India using a cross-sectional online-based survey tool. We carried out a binomial logistic regression to estimate the odds of the relationship that psychological morbidity had with independent variables. Results indicated that 4 in 10 school students had psychological morbidity. Those students in grades 11–12 (OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.2–1.4), 17–18 years of age (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.3–1.6), from a lower socio-economic status (family income of ₹20,001–30,000 per month) (OR = 1.0, 95% CI = 0.8–1.0) and a student (OR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.9–3.4) or a family member of a student (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.4–1.8) with COVID-19 infection were associated with higher odds of psychological morbidity. The relationship psychological morbidity had with gender, mental well-being and resilient coping was revelatory. Targeted psychosocial interventions are required for high-risk school students to reduce age, grade and socio-economic disparities in COVID-19-related psychological morbidity. These findings have implications for mental health professionals, counsellors, psychologists, social workers and academicians associated with school students.