Have Girls Been Left Behind During the Covid-19 Pandemic? Gender Differences in Pandemic Effects on Children's Mental Wellbeing

Mendolia, Silvia; Suziedelyte, Agne; Zhu, Anna

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Have Girls Been Left Behind During the Covid-19 Pandemic? Gender Differences in Pandemic Effects on Children's Mental Wellbeing

IZA Discussion Paper No. 14665

11 Pages Posted: 28 Aug 2021 Last revised: 6 May 2025

See all articles by Silvia Mendolia

Anna Zhu

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technolog (RMIT University)

Abstract

Using data from the UK, we show that girls have been affected more than boys by the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of their mental wellbeing. These gender differences are more pronounced in lower-income families. Our results are consistent with previous findings of larger pandemic effects on mental health of women.

Keywords: COVID-19, pandemic, mental health, children

JEL Classification: I10, I31, J13

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Mendolia, Silvia and Suziedelyte, Agne and Zhu, Anna, Have Girls Been Left Behind During the Covid-19 Pandemic? Gender Differences in Pandemic Effects on Children's Mental Wellbeing. IZA Discussion Paper No. 14665, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3913026