Pandemic Youth Mental Health Toll Unprecedented, Data Show

February 14, 2023by Lindsey Tanner, Associated Press
Pandemic Youth Mental Health Toll Unprecedented, Data Show
Stanford women's soccer team players wear warmup jerseys with "Mental Health Matters" on their backs as well as a butterfly patch on their sleeves to remember late goalie Katie Meyer, who died by suicide earlier in the year, before an NCAA college soccer match against UCLA, Oct. 14, 2022, in Stanford, Calif. (Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle via AP, File)

The pandemic took a harsh toll on U.S. teen girls’ mental health, with almost 60% reporting feelings of persistent sadness or hopelessness, according to a government survey released Monday that bolsters earlier data.

Sexual violence, suicidal thoughts, suicidal behavior and other mental health woes affected many teens regardless of race or ethnicity, but girls and LGBTQ youth fared the worst on most measures, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. More than 17,000 U.S. high school students were surveyed in class in the fall of 2021.

In 30 years of collecting similar data, “we’ve never seen this kind of devastating, consistent findings,” said Kathleen Ethier, director of CDC’s adolescent and school health division. “There’s no question young people are telling us they are in crisis. The data really call on us to act.”

The research found:

— Among girls, 30% said they seriously considered attempting suicide, double the rate among boys and up almost 60% from a decade ago.

— Almost 20% of girls reported experiencing rape or other sexual violence in the previous year, also an increase over previous years.

— Almost half of LGBTQ students said they had seriously considered a suicide attempt.

— More than a quarter of American Indians and Alaska Natives said they had seriously considered a suicide attempt — higher than other races and ethnicities.

— Feelings of persistent sadness and hopelessness affected more than one-third of kids of all races and ethnicities and increased over previous years.

— Recent poor mental health was reported by half of LGBTQ kids and almost one-third of American Indian and Alaska Native youth.

The results echo previous surveys and reports and many of the trends began before the pandemic. But isolation, online schooling and increased reliance on social media during the pandemic made things worse for many kids, mental health experts say.

The results “reflect so many decades of neglect towards mental health, for kids in particular,” said Mitch Prinstein, the American Psychological Association’s chief science officer. “Suicide has been the second- or third-leading cause of death for young people between 10 and 24 years for decades now,” and attempts are typically more common in girls, he said.

Prinstein noted that anxiety and depression tend to be more common in teen girls than boys, and pandemic isolation may have exacerbated that.

Comprehensive reform in how society manages mental health is needed, Prinstein said. In schools, kids should be taught ways to manage stress and strife, just as they are taught about exercise for physical disease prevention, he said.

In low-income areas, where adverse childhood experiences were high before the pandemic, the crisis has been compounded by a shortage of school staff and mental health professionals, experts say.

School districts around the country have used federal pandemic money to hire more mental health specialists, if they can find them, but say they are stretched thin and that students who need expert care outside of school often can’t get it because therapists are overburdened and have long waitlists.

___

AP writer Jocelyn Gecker contributed in San Francisco contributed to this report.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

 

A+
a-

In The News

Health

Voting

Mental Health

March 26, 2024
by Dan McCue
White House Holds Roundtable on Black Men’s Mental Health

WASHINGTON — The White House Office of Public Engagement last week convened a roundtable on the administration’s efforts to support... Read More

WASHINGTON — The White House Office of Public Engagement last week convened a roundtable on the administration’s efforts to support Black men’s mental health. The event was moderated by Charisse Jones of USA Today, and featured actors Courtney B. Vance and Lamman Rucker; recording artist Raheem... Read More

March 26, 2024
by Dan McCue
NYC to Invest $8M in ‘Substance Use’ Clinic for Pregnant and Postpartum Women

NEW YORK — The city of New York announced Tuesday that it is investing $8 million in a new health... Read More

NEW YORK — The city of New York announced Tuesday that it is investing $8 million in a new health and substance use disorder clinic specifically to provide care to pregnant and postpartum women and their families. Mayor Eric Adams and officials from NYC Health +... Read More

March 25, 2024
by Jesse Zucker
What Happens During Burnout and How to Cope

WASHINGTON — Many of us, from time to time, may feel a little “burned out.” Spreading ourselves too thin with... Read More

WASHINGTON — Many of us, from time to time, may feel a little “burned out.” Spreading ourselves too thin with work, family, relationships, health and other obligations can take its toll. The term burnout is technically a psychological condition related to the workplace. Since COVID-19 began,... Read More

March 13, 2024
by Dan McCue
Researchers Identify Brain Connections Associated with ADHD

WASHINGTON — After examining more than 8,000 functional brain images of young people with ADHD, researchers have discovered their systems... Read More

WASHINGTON — After examining more than 8,000 functional brain images of young people with ADHD, researchers have discovered their systems are tied to atypical interactions between the brain’s frontal cortex and the information processing centers deep inside the brain. The research into attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder was conducted... Read More

March 12, 2024
by Dan McCue
Report Underscores Impact of Pets on Sense of Community, Well-Being

WASHINGTON — Nine in 10 pet owners say their pets contribute to their having a stronger sense of community, while... Read More

WASHINGTON — Nine in 10 pet owners say their pets contribute to their having a stronger sense of community, while 83% of adults say they’ve interacted with people they otherwise would not have due to their pets, according to a new survey. The study by Mars... Read More

How Springing Forward to Daylight Saving Time Could Affect Your Health — and How to Prepare

WASHINGTON (AP) — Most of America “springs forward” Sunday for daylight saving time and losing that hour of sleep can do more... Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — Most of America “springs forward” Sunday for daylight saving time and losing that hour of sleep can do more than leave you tired and cranky the next day. It also could harm your health. Darker mornings and more evening light together knock your body clock... Read More

News From The Well
scroll top