A recent report published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology documents the escalating mental-health issues among teens and young adults over the past decade. The data was developed from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health, based on an annual survey of Americans ages 12 and older. Perhaps the most disturbing finding in the report concerns the uptick of attempted or considered suicides among adolescents; suicide is the second leading cause of death for teenagers. There was no corresponding increase in mental health disorders in adults during that decade of the study.
The researchers analyzed survey responses from 200,000 children ages 12–17 from 2005 to 2017, as well as almost 400,000 adults ages 18 and over from 2008 to 2017. Within the last year of the survey for the teenage group, major depressive episodes rose from 8.7% to 13.2%. The sharpest increase in teenage mental health issues occurred after 2011, which led the researchers to believe the cause was likely a cultural change, rather than genetic, economic, or other contributors.
Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University and one of the authors of the report said, “Cultural trends in the last 10 years may have had a larger effect on mood disorders and suicide-related outcomes among younger generations compared with older generations.” An increase in the use of social media, smartphones, and other technology commonly used by adolescents can often lead to social isolation, which can lead to mood changes. Teenagers are also not getting as much sleep as they did in the past, which can also contribute to mental health problems.
Teachers and school leaders—and, of course, Board members—must become increasingly aware of this potential problem in their school’s classrooms. Faculty members and student advisors should be well-attuned to the various warning signs of student anxiety, serious mood disorders, and suicidal thoughts. Trustees must ensure proper funding is available for training faculty, staff, and particularly student advisors. Those involved day-to-day with students must be able to recognize children who struggle or cope poorly with challenges. Today, proper professional development in advisory skills is critical.
With appropriate intervention, including a strong advisory program, schools can make a big difference in the lives of their students when it comes to these disorders. Promoting healthy adult-student relationships and providing a student-centered advisory program can go quite far to ameliorate these problems. When schools address the emotional needs of their students, the students feel safe in their learning environments.
Additional ISM resources:
The Source for Academic Leadership Vol. 16 No. 7 Three Attributes of an Exemplary Advisory Program
The Source for School Heads Vol. 16 No. 5 Creating a Successful Advisory Program
Additional resources for ISM members:
I&P Vol. 43 No. 10 Student Engagement’s Impact on Stress and Well-Being—What Your School Must Know and Do
I&P Vol. 41 No. 3 10 Attributes of an ISM Model Advisory Program
I&P Vol. 40 No. 14 The Advisor as Positive Coach
