Mental Health

Between 30% and 51% of transgender teenagers have previously attempted suicide, with the highest rates reported for those who identified as transgender male and nonbinary, according to research published in Pediatrics.

Children who experienced prenatal and postnatal homelessness were at high risk for poor health outcomes, according to study results published in Pediatrics. Homelessness lasting longer than 6 months was also a negative determinant of health.

Speech therapy is a traditionally recommended approach to improving communication skills in children with developmental dysphasia. However, findings from a randomized controlled trial suggest that introducing animals, such as dogs, into therapy sessions can strengthen the benefits of this intervention.

Young people who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual were more likely to use more than one substance — such as alcohol, marijuana and cigarettes — compared with heterosexual youth, findings published in Drug & Alcohol Dependence revealed.

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States and is increasing, according to the CDC.

About one-third of first-year college students across eight countries who participated in a self-report WHO survey screened positive for at least one anxiety, mood or substance use disorder, according to research published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology.

Findings from a systematic review revealed a significant association between early childhood social adversity — including insecure attachment and adversity relating to neglect or abuse — and poorer social cognitive performance in participants with major psychiatric disorders.

Nearly half of American teenagers report sleep difficulties that affect their daily functioning, according to findings published in the Journal of Adolescence. Exhaustion from lack of sleep can lead to negative health outcomes, including depression, obesity and accidental injury.

The mental and physical health of one family member can affect the rest of the family — a complicated issue highlighted in two recently published studies.

Survey data from a large sample of U.S. college students revealed a high rate of multiple stress exposures among this population, which was strongly linked to a greater risk for suicide attempts and mental health diagnoses.