CDC: Teen girls experiencing record level of sadness, hopelessness

The proportion of teen girls in the United States who reported feeling persistently sad or hopeless increased nearly 60% from 2011 to 2021 to nearly three in five girls, according to data released Monday by the CDC.

It was the latest report to contribute data regarding what the AAP and other groups declared in 2021 to be a national emergency in pediatric mental health.

According to findings from the biannual Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 57% of teen girls reported persistent sad or hopeless feelings in 2021 — almost double the rate of boys and the highest level reported in the past decade, the CDC said.

In all categories, in fact, girls fared worse than their male peers in 2021, with 30% saying they seriously considered attempting suicide, 18% reporting experiencing sexual violence in the last year, and 14% reporting ever being forced to have sex — a statistic that Kathleen Ethier, PhD, director of the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health, called “truly alarming.”

“For every 10 teenage girls you know, at least one of them and probably more has been raped,” Ethier said in a press briefing. “This tragedy cannot continue.”

Debra Houry, MD, MPH, the CDC’s chief medical officer and deputy director for program and science, said the data showed that children need “far more support to cope, hope, and thrive.”

“High school should be a time for trailblazing, not trauma,” Houry said in a press release. “Proven school prevention programs can offer teens a vital lifeline in these growing waves of trauma.”

According to the report, more than 52% of students in the LGBTQ+ community reported experiencing poor mental health, and 22% reported attempting suicide in the past year.

Anna King, president of the national PTA, called for congressional action to combat the “heartbreaking” statistics and encourage schools “to adopt practices and establish safe, supportive and inclusive learning environments for all of our student.”

“Federal investments are critical to ensure the success of all of our children and young people across our country,” King said during the press conference. “Congress must act now to address the youth mental health crisis and must include in any mental health policy language that ensures that all students have access to mental health resources at school and in their community, including targeted support for underserved populations and children experiencing trauma.”

In the release, Ethier called for “urgency and compassion.”

“Young people are experiencing a level of distress that calls on us to act with urgency and compassion,” Ethier said. “With the right programs and services in place, schools have the unique ability to help our youth flourish.”

“Every adult should have a vested interest in ensuring our children and young people are whole physically and mentally,” King said. “And we can do this together.”

References:

Youth risk behavior survey: Data summary and trends report. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/YRBS_Data-Summary-Trends_Report2023_508.pdf. Published Feb. 13, 2023. Accessed Feb. 13, 2023.