The mental health of U.S. teenagers appears to be improving following the COVID-19 pandemic, which worsened a crisis that had been growing for years, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The percentage of high school students who reported persistent feeling of sadness or hopelessness fell from 42% in 2021 to 40% in 2023, the CDC report shows. That drop was driven by improvements among teen girls, who are nearly twice as likely to report these feelings as teen boys.
In 2023, 53% of high school girls reported feeling persistently sad or hopeless. That marked a decrease from 57% in 2021, the highest levels reported in a decade. The percentage of teen girls who seriously considered suicide also dropped in that time.
Hispanic teens also saw notable improvements in mental health. They were less likely to report feeling persistently sad, being in poor mental health and seriously considering suicide.
And the percentage of Black teens who attempted suicide or were injured in a suicide attempt decreased.
Dr. Debra Houry, CDC’s chief medical officer, called the improvements in teen mental health “progress we can build on.”
“However, this work is far from complete,” Houry said. “Every child should feel safe and supported, and CDC will continue its work to turn this data into action until we reach that goal.”
Prior to the pandemic, the rates of childhood mental health concerns and suicide had been rising for at least a decade. But the psychological toll of the pandemic worsened teen mental health to the point that the American Academy of Pediatrics and other organizations called for a state of emergency in October 2021.
While some strides have been made in mental health since 2021, a year marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC report also highlighted some growing concerns. Students were more likely in 2023 to report being bullied at school, threatened or injured by a weapon and missing school because of safety concerns.
The report also outlines significant health disparities experienced by female and LGBTQ+ high school students, who are more likely to report being in poor mental health, experiencing suicidal thoughts and having attempted suicide than their peers. They also are more likely to report being subjected to violence.
Nearly 3 in 10 LGBTQ+ students were bullied at school in 2023 – twice the rate of their cisgender and heterosexual peers – and 2 in 10 attempted suicide. By contrast, only about 1 in 20 cisgender and heterosexual students 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,” CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health Director Kathleen Ethier said. “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.”
The CDC offers resources and recommendations to help schools promote mental health, ensure quality health education and access needed services, and increase connectedness for young people. Anyone who is experiencing mental health-related distress or is worried that a loved one may need crisis support can contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling 988.