WASHINGTON, D.C. — Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveal both improvements and troubling trends in the mental health and safety of American teens. The report, comparing data from the 2021 and 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, highlights a decrease in the percentage of students feeling persistently sad or hopeless. However, it also notes a rise in school-based violence and absenteeism due to safety concerns.
The analysis covers high school students’ health behaviors and experiences across the nation. It compares data from a time when schooling was disrupted due to COVID-19 to the present. The report also examines 10-year trends by sex, race, ethnicity, and sexual and gender identity. As students return to classrooms, this data is crucial for understanding the challenges they face and informing community efforts to enhance their health and safety.
“One of our main priorities at CDC is improving Americans’ mental health,” said Debra Houry, M.D., M.P.H., CDC’s chief medical officer and deputy director for program and science. “The data 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.”
Positive Trends in Mental Health
From 2021 to 2023, several key mental health indicators showed improvement:
- The percentage of students overall experiencing persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness decreased from 42% to 40%.
- Among female students, the percentage feeling persistently sad or hopeless dropped from 57% to 53%, and those seriously considering attempting suicide fell from 30% to 27%.
- Hispanic students reported a decrease in persistent sadness or hopelessness from 46% to 42%. The percentage experiencing poor mental health dropped from 30% to 26%, those seriously considering suicide decreased from 22% to 18%, and those making a suicide plan fell from 19% to 16%.
- The percentage of Black students who attempted suicide decreased from 14% to 10%, and those injured in a suicide attempt dropped from 4% to 2%.
Alarming Increases in School-Based Violence
Despite these improvements, the data also show a rise in school-based violence and safety concerns:
- The percentage of students threatened or injured with a weapon at school increased from 7% to 9%.
- Reports of bullying at school rose from 15% to 19%.
- The percentage of students missing school due to safety concerns, either at school or on the way to school, increased from 9% to 13%.
The report highlights significant health disparities, especially among female and LGBTQ+ students, who report higher rates of violence, poor mental health, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors compared to their peers. In 2023, nearly three in 10 LGBTQ+ students were bullied at school, and two in 10 attempted suicide.
Addressing the Challenges
“These data show that we’ve made some progress in tackling these issues in recent years, which proves that they are not insurmountable. However, there’s still much work ahead,” said Kathleen Ethier, Ph.D., Director of the CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health. “Considering the vital role schools play in promoting health and well-being, it is critical to address school-based violence and safety concerns.”
The CDC’s What Works in Schools program aims to promote adolescent health and well-being. It supports school districts in providing quality health education, connecting young people to necessary health services, and creating safer, more supportive school environments. This program positively impacts many of the behaviors and experiences highlighted in the report.
For over three decades, the CDC has collected and analyzed data on youth health and well-being. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey monitors adolescent health behaviors and experiences over time, identifying emerging issues and helping to understand health-related topics affecting youth, including mental health. Overall, it offers a comprehensive picture of youth health at the national, state, and local levels.
As these findings spotlight, while progress has been made in some areas, there is an urgent need for continued efforts to ensure the safety and mental well-being of all students.
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