2026/07/30 by Jean‐Christophe Goulet‐Pelletier, Ophélie A. Collet, Tianna Loose +4
Psychology · Social Sciences · #COVID-19 and Mental Health #Early Childhood Education and Development #Youth Substance Use and School Attendance
paper · doi:10.1111/josh.70204
crossref issued 2026/07/30 · crossref published 2026/07/30 · crossref published-online 2026/07/30 · openalex publication_date 2026/07/30 · openalex created_date 2026/07/31 · crossref created 2026/07/31 · crossref deposited 2026/07/31 · crossref indexed 2026/07/31 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31 · crossref published-print 2026/08/01
ABSTRACT Background The COVID‐19 pandemic disrupted schooling worldwide. While there is evidence of declines in academic performance, the links between early vulnerabilities in school readiness, learning difficulties, and lifestyle changes during the pandemic and their impact on postcrisis academic achievement are not well understood. Methods This longitudinal study followed 3871 children across three time points over 6 years (50.3% boys). In 2017, teachers assessed children's school readiness at kindergarten. In 2021, parents assessed the impact of COVID‐19 on their child's learning difficulties and lifestyle changes. In 2022, teachers assessed children's academic achievement. Results Structural equation modeling showed that children with school readiness vulnerabilities experienced greater learning difficulties during the pandemic, but not significantly greater lifestyle disruptions. Learning difficulties partially mediated the association between school readiness vulnerabilities and lower postcrisis academic achievement. Analyses were adjusted for child sex, age, native language, and cumulative socioeconomic risk. Implications for School Health Policy, Practice, and Equity Support systems should monitor learning difficulties that emerge during periods of educational disruption and not rely solely on preexisting indicators of vulnerability. Conclusion Learning difficulties during the pandemic emerged as a distinct predictor of later academic achievement, emphasizing the need for timely educational support during periods of disruption.