In 2021, more than 4 in 10 (42%) students felt persistently sad or hopeless and nearly one-third (29%) experienced poor mental health.
In 2021, more than 1 in 5 (22%) students seriously considered attempting suicide and 1 in 10 (10%) attempted suicide.
These data bring into focus the level of distress many students are experiencing.
Some groups are more affected than others.
These feelings were found to be more common among LGBQ+ students, female students, and students across racial and ethnic groups.
Nearly half (45%) of LGBQ+ students in 2021 seriously considered attempting suicide—far more than heterosexual students.
Black students were more likely to attempt suicide than students of other races and ethnicities.
Why Is This a Big Deal?
Poor mental health in adolescence is more than feeling blue. It can impact many areas of a teen’s life. Youth with poor mental health may struggle with school and grades, decision making, and their health.
Mental health problems in youth often go hand-in-hand with other health and behavioral risks like increased risk of drug use, experiencing violence, and higher risk sexual behaviors that can lead to HIV, STDs, and unintended pregnancy.
Because many health behaviors and habits are established in adolescence that will carry over into adult years, it is very important to help youth develop good mental health.
The good news is that teens are resilient, and we know what works to support their mental health: feeling connected to school and family.
Fortunately, the same prevention strategies that promote mental health—like helping students feel connected to school/family—help prevent a range of negative experiences, like drug use and violence.
Building strong bonds and relationships with adults and friends at school, at home and in the community provides youth with a sense of connectedness.
This feeling of connectedness is important and can protect adolescents from poor mental health, and other risks like drug use and violence.
Youth need to know someone cares about them. Connections can be made virtually or in person.
There is a Role for Everyone in Supporting Teen Mental Health
As we’ve learned nationally during the COVID-19 pandemic, schools are critical in our communities to supporting children and families. While the expectation is that schools provide education, they also provide opportunities for youth to engage in physical activity and academic, social, mental health, and physical health services, all of which can relieve stress and help protect against negative outcomes.
However, the pandemic disrupted many school-based services, increasing the burden on parents, increasing stress on families, and potentially affecting long-term health outcomes for parents and children alike, especially among families already at risk for negative health outcomes from social and environmental factors.
Support is needed to mitigate these negative outcomes and lessen educational and health disparities.
Critical supports and services need to be comprehensive and community wide and should include:
These feelings were found to be more common among LGBQ+ students, female students, and students across racial and ethnic groups.
