Poor Mental Health in U.S. Teens Exacerbated by Negative Experiences during Covid-19 Pandemic, Survey Finds

CNN

In a recent study, most teens reported having at least one adverse childhood experience during the pandemic. Adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, include physical or emotional abuse, food insecurity, parental job loss, cyberbullying, or sexual violence. Teens with such experiences were more likely to report poor mental health and suicide attempts compared to those without. Carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the study comes at a time of increasing concern about the pandemic’s impact on young people’s mental health. “This analysis highlights the ongoing, urgent need to address adversity experienced before and during the pandemic to mitigate its impact on mental and behavioral health,” the study authors wrote. They called for providing more economic supports to families and linking youth and their caregivers to school- and community-based resources.

Spark Extra! Check out CDC’s Suicide Prevention Resource for Action.