What’s New in Psychology?

There’s Good News about America’s Teens     

Jim Windell

            We’re so accustomed to hearing bad news about the mental health of American youth that it is a welcome relief when there’s good news.

Thanks to the CDC, I found some good news to share with you.

            In a recent report from the CDC, it was announced that there have been improvements in the mental health of teenagers in the U.S.

            Specifically, there has been a decrease in the percentage of students feeling persistently sad or hopeless. Additionally, there have been decreases in students' use of substances.

           The data comes from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2013–2023. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) is a national survey, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to provide data on 9th through 12th grade students in public and private schools in the U.S. The results of the YRBS helps monitor health trends, identify emerging issues, and plan and evaluate programs that can help improve adolescent health.

            Key improvements to youth mental health from 2021 to 2023, based on the latest YRBS, include:

• Decreases in the percentage of students overall who experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness (from 42% to 40%).
• Decreases in the percentage of female students who experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness (from 57% to 53%) and who seriously considered attempting suicide (30% to 27%).
• Decreases in the percentage of Hispanic students who felt persistently sad or hopeless (from 46% to 42%), who experienced poor mental health (30% to 26%), who seriously considered attempting suicide (22% to 18%) and who made a suicide plan (19% to 16%).
• Decreases in the percentage of Black students who attempted suicide (from 14% to 10%) and who were injured in a suicide attempt (4% to 2%).

          “One of our main priorities at CDC is improving Americans' mental health," says Debra Houry, M.D., M.P.H., CDC's chief medical officer and deputy director for program and science. “The data released today show improvements to a number of metrics that measure young people's mental well-being – progress we can build on. 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.”

           As indicated in the quote from Dr. Houry, there are still areas that require attention. For instance, increases were found in the percentage of students reporting violence and safety concerns at school or on the way to school. There were:

• Increases in the percentage of students who were threatened or injured with a weapon at school (7% to 9%).
• Increases in the percentage of students who were bullied at school (15% to 19%).
• Increases in the percentage of students who missed school because of safety concerns either at school or on the way to school (9% to 13%).

          The CDC report also underscores significant health disparities, particularly among female and LGBTQ+ high school students, who report higher rates of violence, poor mental health and suicidal thoughts and behaviors than their peers. In 2023, nearly three in 10 LGBTQ+ students were bullied at school, and two in 10 attempted suicide.

          “These data show that we've made some progress in tackling these issues in recent years, which proves that they are not insurmountable,” says CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health Director Kathleen Ethier, Ph.D. “However, there's still much work ahead. Considering the vital role schools play in promoting health and well-being, it is critical to address school-based violence and safety concerns.”

           To learn more about the results of the YRBS and the CDC report, use these references:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2013–2023. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2024.

            CDC Data Show Improvements in Youth Mental Health but Need for Safer and More Supportive Schools. (2024). CDC. Available: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/p0806-youth-mental-health.html