This is the final installment of the Educating Kentucky series examining issues in state schools. All the stories are available at bgdailynews.com.
Managing all the in-person and online bullying kids face after COVID has become an all-day job for one rural Kentucky school counselor.
Younger kids are acting out more, can’t hold attention and aren’t getting along well with others, she said.
The older kids, in fourth and fifth grades, are experiencing more depression and anxiety. Some are self-harming, which never happened that young before, she added.
“I’ve seen this explosion of social media and kids getting phones at a younger age, and it’s becoming a huge problem,” the counselor said.
According to the National Survey of Children’s Health, between 2019 and 2020 there was a 21% increase in children diagnosed with behavioral or conduct problems.
In 2021, Kentucky teens from grades 6 to 12 reported higher levels of serious psychological distress, like depression and anxiety, according to a Kentucky Incentives for Prevention survey. On average, distress increased by 4% from 2018-21.