Teen Girls Report Record Levels of Sadness, CDC Finds

The New York Times

Recent national data suggest teen girls are experiencing increased sadness, suicidal thoughts, and sexual violence. The data come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which is carried out every two years in high schools across the country. The latest survey also found high rates of depression, violence, and suicide risk among LGBTQ youth. Experts responded to the findings by emphasizing that there are steps we can all take to address them, such as talking openly with young people about mental health. CDC researchers highlighted the important role schools can play in promoting student well-being. “Young people who feel connected in middle school and high school 20 years later have better mental health, are less likely to be perpetrators or victims of violence, are less likely to use substances and are less likely to attempt suicide,” said Kathleen Ethier, head of the CDC’s adolescent and school health program. “So school connectedness is a very powerful protective factor.”

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