Evaluating the impact of a nationwide educational policy on adolescent mental health in China: A longitudinal network analysis

Abstract

In response to concerns about excessive homework and off-campus tutoring among Chinese adolescents, the Chinese government recently implemented the nationwide “Double Reduction” (DR) policy to ease their academic burdens. However, the potential protective effects of the DR policy on adolescent mental health remain unclear. This study applied a network approach to examine relationships between several changes post-policy implementation (e.g., reduced homework, more extracurricular activities, increased physical activity, more time with parents, and reduced academic stress) and multiple mental health symptoms (e.g., symptoms of anxiety, depression, and insomnia) in 45,573 adolescents across two waves (i.e., three and eight months post-implementation). Results found consistent network structures over time, with “increased extracurricular activities” and “reduced homework” identified as the most central nodes. The former was most strongly associated with a depressive symptom named “energy loss,” while the latter was most strongly linked to an anxiety symptom named “trouble relaxing.” These findings provide preliminary evidence for the protective effect of the DR policy on adolescent mental health, emphasizing the importance of reducing homework and expanding extracurricular opportunities for adolescents' well-being.