The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

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in their top five values, yet it does not ap-
pear at all in the top five for the general
US population” (p. 88).

The researcher found the following re-
garding anxiety: “Overall, homeschool-
ers were found to have mean scores far
below the clinical cut-off of 39-40. For
individuals who had been homeschooled
as children, anxiety decreased with age”
(p. 87), and “. . . as a group homeschool-
ers exhibit less anxiety than the general
population . . .” (p. 89). Finally, this study
“. . . did not reveal any levels of depres-
sion or anxiety that appear to have a
clinically significant pattern across this
population. However, all of the elements
that were measured point to a fairly
positive attitude toward seeking therapy
among homeschoolers” (p. 90).

Conclusions

This study on the mental health of adults who were home educated and homeschooling parents is apparently the first of its kind. The researcher was thorough, well-planned, and careful to state the limitations of her study.

In the end, she found that those she studied had good mental health compared to the general population. Dedeaux also noted that her “. . . study found that many beliefs held by the general public as well as published materials about homeschooling are inaccurate. For example, this study finds homeschoolers to be very involved with other people in the community” (p. 93). Notably, the researcher concluded the following: “ Anxiety and depression levels were found to be below the general population’s, and homeschoolers were found to be generally happy” compared to the U.S. population at large.

This is another study that supports the notion that the home educated are generally doing well. Further, there is no indication, based on research, that they need any special control by the government and/or state-school officials.

Brian D. Ray, Ph.D., is president of the National Home Education Research Institute, a nonprofit research and education organization. Dr. Ray often serves as an expert witness in courts, testifies to legislatures, and is interviewed by the media. Brian is married to Betsy and they have eight children and four grandchildren.

Editor’s note: For more free homeschool research like this, visit NHERI at www . nheri.org/connect.html.

Endnotes:

1. World Magazine, September 30, 2014, http:// www.worldmag.com/2014/09/sandy_hook_ commission_calls_for_homeschool_oversight.

2. Dedeaux, Roya J. (2012). An exploratory study on mental health and attitude towards psychotherapy among grown homeschoolers and homeschooling parents. Master’s thesis (Master of Science), California State University, Long Beach.