Trends in low school satisfaction among adolescents in Denmark according to sex, grade, and socioeconomic background, 1994–2022

The objective was to examine trends in low school satisfaction between 1994 and 2022 among 11–15-year-old students in Denmark according to sex, grade, and socioeconomic status. We focused on trends before and after a major school reform in 2014, and before and after COVID-19-related school closures 2020-2021. Data stem from the Danish arm of the international Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study (N = 38,858). Expressions of low school satisfaction declined from 21.2% in 1994 to 17.2% in 2022 (p < 0.0001). Low school satisfaction also declined during the pre-reform period, 1994–2014 (p < 0.0001), but increased slightly in the post-reform period, 2014–2022 (p = 0.0006). Low school satisfaction was more common among boys than girls. It increased by grade and was highest among students from low socioeconomic background. The COVID-19-related school closures may have impacted school satisfaction negatively and school reform may have been insufficient to improve school satisfaction after 2014.