The mental health of high school students has improved slightly in recent years, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, a share of students still reported feeling sad and hopeless — especially female students.
The CDC conducts its youth risk behavior survey every two years. Between 2021 and 2023, overall reports of poor mental health went down slightly from 42% to 40%. While that may not sound like much, the director of the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health said it is “statistically significant.”
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While girls and LGBTQ+ students are still more likely to report feelings of sadness and hopelessness, the percentage of girls who said they felt that way dropped from 57% in 2021 to 53% in 2023.
The survey also found 20% of teens said they had seriously considered suicide and 9% said they had attempted it. That number is down from a high of 10% in 2021, but still higher than the 8% reported a decade ago.
The survey also found substance abuse is down among teens, as well.
