Teens’ mental health has improved slightly over two years but still is significantly worse than it was a decade ago, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Female and LGBTQ+ high school students continue to struggle with mental health, violence and substance use more than their peers, and more students are reporting violence at school, the report showed.
“The data released today show improvements to a number of metrics that measure young people's mental well-being – progress we can build on,” Debra Houry, M.D., M.P.H., CDC’s chief medical officer and deputy director for program and science, said in a press release. “However, this work is far from complete. Every child should feel safe and supported, and CDC will continue its work to turn this data into action until we reach that goal.”
The 2023 data come from the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a nationally representative study of high school students done every two years. The wide-ranging survey asks students about mental health, violence, substance use, sexual behavior and other issues.
Mental health
About 40% of teens reported persistent feelings of sadness/hopelessness in 2023, down from 42% in 2021 but still significantly higher than 30% in 2013, according to the report.
The CDC expressed alarm last year about 57% of females in 2021 reporting persistent sadness and hopelessness. That figure dropped to 53% in 2023 but still is significantly higher than for males at 28%.
The 2023 data also showed 65% of LGBTQ+ teens experienced persistent sadness/hopelessness compared to 31% of their cisgender and heterosexual peers.
Several measures around suicide in the overall teen population didn’t change significantly over the two years, although there were some improvements among Black and Hispanic students. Overall, 9% of teens said they had attempted suicide.
The AAP has been sounding the alarm on mental health issues. In 2021, the AAP and its partners declared a national emergency in children’s mental health citing the serious toll of the COVID-19 pandemic on top of existing challenges. Less than two months later, the U.S. surgeon general called for action to protect children’s mental health. The AAP has created tools and guidance to help pediatricians address these concerns (see resources).
Violence
The CDC expressed concerns Tuesday about the number of students reporting violence and safety issues at school. About 9% said they had been threatened or injured with a weapon at school, up from 7% in 2021. About 19% said they were bullied at school, up from 15%.
Again, there were stark differences on some violence categories by gender and sexual orientation. For instance, about 17% of females in 2023 reported experiencing sexual violence compared to 6% of males.
About 20% of LGBTQ+ students experienced sexual violence compared to 8% of cisgender or heterosexual peers. About 29% and 16%, respectively, reported being bullied at school.
“Considering the vital role schools play in promoting health and well-being, it is critical to address school-based violence and safety concerns,” said CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health Director Kathleen Ethier, Ph.D.
Substance use, sex, racism
Comparing 2023 to 2013, researchers also found that
- 22% drink alcohol, down from 35%,
- 17% use marijuana, down from 23%,
- 10% have ever used select illicit drugs, down from 16%,
- 32% had ever had sex, down from 47% and
- 52% used a condom the last time they had sex, down from 59%.
Several issues were newer to the survey and didn’t have comparisons. About 77% of teens said they use social media several times a day. Roughly 32% of teens reported having experienced racism in school with the highest reports from Asian students.
Resources
- U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available at https://www.988lifeline.org or by texting or calling 988.
- AAP mental health initiatives
- CDC What Works in Schools program
- Blueprint for Youth Suicide Prevention
- AAP suicide prevention resources
- AAP statement of endorsement Guidelines for Adolescent Depression in Primary Care (GLAD-PC): Part I. Practice Preparation, Identification, Assessment, and Initial Management
- AAP clinical report Promoting Optimal Development: Screening for Behavioral and Emotional Problems
- Information for parents from HealthyChildren.org on teen mental health
- CDC suicide prevention resources
- U.S. surgeon general advisory “Protecting Youth Mental Health”
- Information from the American Medical Association on integrating behavioral health care into a clinical practice
