The impact of the pandemic and school closures on non-cognitive characteristics: Evidence from PISA

This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on non-cognitive skills using survey data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). We analyzed survey findings from PISA 2022 and compared these results with previous test administrations to evaluate the influence of school closures on non-cognitive outcomes across Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. Our findings indicate that students in the 2022 PISA cohort experienced a contrasting short- and-long term effect on their sense of belonging. In the short term, there was a loss of 0.040 standard deviations (SD) in their sense of belonging to school. However, in the long term, there is evidence of a recovery of 0.049 SD, particularly in the USA and Canada. Additionally, the pandemic was associated with a 0.08 SD decline in growth mindset and a 5 % reduction in the likelihood of being frequently bullied, compared to past student cohorts. The study reveals that the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected non-cognitive skills among girls, migrants, and economically disadvantaged students, exacerbating bullying and prompting a shift towards a fixed mindset, particularly among female students.