The relationship between emotional problems and subsequent school attainment: A meta-analysis

• Emotional problems were associated with later poor school attainment.
• More consistent associations were found for depression than anxiety.
• Moderators explained some between-study variation.
• Associations varied by age, gender and follow-up period.

Longitudinal studies have provided mixed findings regarding the relationship between emotional problems and subsequent poor school attainment. A meta-analysis of 26 community-based studies of children and adolescents was performed. Results revealed a prospective association between emotional problems and poor school attainment. More consistent associations were found for depression than anxiety. Moderator analyses indicated that some of the heterogeneity between studies may be due to age and gender, with reduced heterogeneity particularly notable for school grades during early adolescence and for anxiety by gender. Findings suggest that early identification and provision of support for young people with emotional problems may be helpful for improving academic outcomes such as school attainment.