mental health research topics for senior high school students

130+ Mental Health Research Topics for High School Students: Unlocking Minds

• Post author By admin
• September 27, 2023

Explore a range of mental health research topics for high school students. Gain insights into this critical field.

High school is that incredible chapter of life where you grow, lldiscover yourself, and face some truly unique challenges. Your mental health during these years takes center stage.

It’s all about equipping high school students with the know-how and strategies to sail through these formative years. So, let’s take a plunge into the world of mental health research.

This article is your ticket to an exciting journey through fascinating topics designed just for high school students. Get ready to unravel the mysteries of the teenage mind and uncover practical ways to boost your emotional well-being during these adolescent years.

Table of Contents

Mental Health Research Topics for High School Students

Have a close look at mental health research topics for high school students:-

Understanding Mental Health

• Investigate the relationship between academic performance and mental health among high school students.
• Examine the impact of self-esteem on overall mental well-being in adolescents.
• Explore the effects of peer pressure on mental health and decision-making.
• Analyze the role of genetics in predisposing adolescents to mental health disorders.
• Investigate how cultural background influences teenagers’ perceptions of mental health.
• Conduct surveys to assess the correlation between academic stress and mental health.
• Implement self-esteem-building workshops for students and evaluate their effectiveness.
• Conduct interviews and surveys to understand how peer pressure affects decision-making.
• Study family histories to identify genetic factors linked to mental health conditions.
• Organize mental health awareness events that highlight diverse cultural perspectives.

Technology and Mental Health

• Explore the impact of excessive screen time and social media on teenage mental health.
• Investigate the effectiveness of mental health apps for high school students.
• Analyze the role of cyberbullying in affecting adolescents’ mental well-being.
• Examine the connection between internet addiction and mental health issues.
• Explore the portrayal of mental health in digital media and its influence on attitudes.
• Conduct surveys to assess screen time habits and their impact on mental health.
• Create and evaluate a mental health app designed for high school students.
• Develop anti-cyberbullying campaigns and measure their effectiveness.
• Analyze online behavior to identify signs of internet addiction.
• Evaluate how media representation of mental health affects teenagers’ perceptions.

Stress Management

• Investigate the effectiveness of mindfulness and meditation in reducing stress and anxiety.
• Analyze the impact of extracurricular activities on students’ stress levels.
• Explore the connection between nutrition and dietary habits and mental well-being.
• Examine the influence of socioeconomic factors on stress and access to mental health resources.
• Study the impact of sleep patterns on high school students’ mental health.
• Conduct mindfulness workshops and track participants’ stress reduction progress.
• Survey students to understand the relationship between extracurricular involvement and stress.
• Analyze dietary choices and stress levels through questionnaires and diet logs.
• Investigate access to mental health services among students from different socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Conduct sleep studies to assess the correlation between sleep patterns and mental health.

Peer Relationships and Mental Health

• Examine the effects of peer support groups on adolescents’ mental well-being.
• Investigate the role of gender and LGBTQ+ acceptance in mental health outcomes.
• Analyze the impact of dating and romantic relationships on teenagers’ emotional health.
• Explore the benefits of conflict resolution training for improving peer relationships and reducing stress.
• Study the influence of social media on friendships and self-esteem in teens.
• Organize peer support group sessions and measure changes in participants’ mental well-being.
• Conduct surveys to understand how acceptance and inclusivity impact mental health.
• Analyze the experiences of students in romantic relationships and their effects on mental health.
• Develop conflict resolution workshops and assess their impact on peer relationships.
• Investigate the relationship between social media use, friendships, and self-esteem through interviews and surveys.

Family Dynamics and Mental Health

• Investigate the effects of family communication patterns on adolescents’ emotional well-being.
• Analyze the influence of family traditions and rituals on mental health.
• Examine the experiences of high school students with divorced or separated parents and their impact on mental well-being.
• Explore the role of grandparents in providing emotional support and stability to adolescents.
• Investigate the impact of family vacations and bonding activities on overall family mental health.
• Conduct family communication workshops and assess their impact on family dynamics and mental health.
• Analyze the effects of specific family traditions and rituals on adolescents’ emotional well-being.
• Interview students from divorced or separated families to understand their experiences.
• Study the role of grandparents in providing emotional support and assess their influence on teens’ mental well-being.
• Survey families before and after vacations to measure the impact of bonding activities on mental health.

School-Based Interventions

• Assess the effectiveness of school-based anti-bullying programs in reducing bullying incidents and improving students’ mental health.
• Investigate the role of school counselors in supporting students’ mental health and propose improvements.
• Analyze the impact of teacher-student relationships on students’ emotional well-being.
• Develop and evaluate a mental health curriculum for teachers to promote students’ mental well-being.
• Explore the experiences of high school students with learning disabilities and assess the effectiveness of inclusive education in promoting their mental health.
• Conduct surveys and interviews to evaluate the outcomes of anti-bullying programs.
• Interview school counselors and students to understand their perspectives on mental health support.
• Analyze teacher-student relationships and their impact on students’ emotional well-being through surveys.
• Develop teacher training modules on mental health and assess their effectiveness.
• Survey students with learning disabilities to understand their experiences in inclusive education settings and the impact on their mental health.

Substance Use and Mental Health

• Investigate the correlation between early substance use initiation and mental health outcomes in adolescence.
• Analyze the impact of peer-led anti-drug campaigns on reducing substance abuse among high school students.
• Examine the role of parental monitoring and communication in preventing substance use and related mental health issues.
• Investigate the effectiveness of substance abuse treatment programs tailored for teenagers.
• Develop a peer support program for students in recovery from substance abuse and evaluate its impact on their mental well-being.
• Conduct surveys to understand the age of onset of substance use and its consequences on mental health.
• Develop and implement peer-led anti-drug campaigns, measuring changes in attitudes and behaviors.
• Survey parents and students to assess the impact of communication on substance use prevention.
• Analyze the outcomes of substance abuse treatment programs through participant interviews and evaluations.
• Create and evaluate a peer support program for students in recovery from substance abuse, tracking their mental well-being progress.

These research topics and projects offer high school students a diverse range of opportunities to engage in meaningful research on mental health, contributing to a better understanding of the challenges they face and potential solutions.

What are some good research topics for mental health?

Here are some good research topics for mental health.

• Navigating the Digital Age: How Does Social Media Impact Our Mental Health?
• Breaking Down Stigmas: Strategies to Improve Public Perception of Mental Health.
• Work-Life Harmony: Investigating the Link Between Work Environment and Mental Well-being.
• Screen Time and Teens: The Digital Dilemma in Adolescent Mental Health.
• Diverse Minds: Understanding Cultural Influences on Mental Health.
• From War Zones to Homefronts: Supporting Veterans with PTSD.
• Aging Gracefully: Mental Health Challenges in the Elderly Population.
• You Are What You Eat: The Surprising Connection Between Nutrition and Mental Health.
• Pride and Prejudice: Unpacking the Mental Health Struggles of LGBTQ+ Individuals.
• In Your Pocket: The Promise and Pitfalls of Mental Health Apps and Online Interventions.
• Virtual Healing: Telehealth’s Impact on Access to Mental Health Services.
• The College Conundrum: Unmasking the Mental Health Struggles of University Students.
• The Family Factor: How Parental Mental Health Affects Children.
• Trauma-Informed Care: A Kinder, More Effective Approach to Mental Health Support.
• No Place Like Home: Mental Health Challenges Among the Homeless Population.
• Double Trouble: Understanding the Complex Relationship Between Mental Health and Substance Use.
• Global Perspectives on Mental Well-being: Insights from Cross-Cultural Research.
• Surviving the Storm: Mental Health Resilience in the Age of COVID-19.
• Bouncing Back: Proven Resilience and Coping Strategies for Tough Times.
• Mind Matters: Analyzing Mental Health Policies and Their Impact on Access to Care.

These research topics are designed to be engaging and approachable, reflecting the importance of mental health in our daily lives.

What are good research topics for high school students?

Here are some good research topics for high school students:-

Snap, Post, Stress? The Social Media Saga on Teenagers’ Self-Image

Dive into how the world of social media shapes how high school students view themselves.

Greening Our Schools

Are Sustainability Programs Making an Impact? Explore how eco-friendly initiatives at high schools affect students’ awareness and actions.

Beats and Grades

Does Music While Studying Help or Hinder High School Success? Uncover whether your favorite tunes boost or bog down your study sessions.

Pressure Cooker

How Teens Tackle Stress: Peek into the lives of high school students to understand what really stresses them out and how they deal with it.

Extracurriculars

More Than Fun and Games? Investigate how joining clubs and sports teams influences a student’s overall well-being.

The Early Bird vs The Night Owl

School Start Times and Sleep Secrets: Is the time you hit the books impacting your snooze time and school performance?

Bullying Busters

Do Anti-Bullying Programs Really Work? Dig into the anti-bullying efforts in high schools and see if they measure up.

The Lunchbox Chronicles

What High Schoolers Eat and Why It Matters: Get the scoop on what’s on high schoolers’ plates and how it impacts their health.

Family Ties and GPA

How Your Clan Can Boost Your Grades: Investigate how family dynamics can help or hinder academic achievement.

Peer Pressure

Who’s Really Calling the Shots? Examine the invisible hand of peer influence on the decisions high school students make.

Screens vs Seats

Is Digital Learning Stealing the Spotlight from Traditional Classes? Weigh the pros and cons of in-person vs. online learning for high school students.

Homework Heebie-Jeebies

How Much is Too Much? Unearth the connection between homework loads and stress levels among high schoolers.

Youth Power

How High Schoolers are Changing the World: Spotlight the incredible impact of high school students in activism and community projects.

The Sleep Saga

What Happens When Teens Don’t Get Enough Rest? Reveal the secrets of sleep deprivation’s effects on teens’ physical and mental health.

Mental Health Matters

Are High Schools Doing Enough? Assess the mental health resources available in high schools and if they hit the mark.

Behind the Vape Cloud

Teen Substance Use and How to Stop It: Take a deep dive into the world of teenage substance use and find ways to prevent it.

The Academic Gender Gap

Who’s Acing and Who’s Lagging? Explore why some students thrive while others struggle and if gender plays a role.

Tech Takeover

How Devices Are Changing Your Study Game: Discover how gadgets affect high school study habits and academic performance.

High School Sports and the Pursuit of Physical Fitness: Investigate how joining sports teams impacts students’ physical health and overall well-being.

Volunteer Vibes

How High Schoolers Are Changing Their Communities: Shine a spotlight on high school students’ motivations and experiences in volunteer work.

These research topics are designed to resonate with high school students, making the research process engaging and meaningful.

What are common mental health issues for high school students?

Here are some of the common mental health issues for high school students:-

Anxiety Overload

Picture this – high school life cranks up the stress dial. It’s like those fluttery feelings before a big test turned up a notch. Social situations become a bit nerve-wracking, and some fears get extra clingy.

The Teenage Blues

High school can sometimes feel like an emotional rollercoaster. With academic pressure , changing friendships, and hormones playing tricks, it’s no wonder some students find themselves in the blues.

Body Image Battles

Ever heard of the mirror wars? Some high schoolers face them, leading to eating issues like skipping meals, overeating, or bingeing.

Attention Tug of War

Imagine trying to focus with a million distractions – that’s what ADHD can feel like for some teens.

Substance Shuffle

Sometimes curiosity takes a detour into experimentation with drugs and alcohol, and for a few, it’s a dance that gets harder to quit.

Hidden Scars

Stress can push some students into a dark corner where they turn to self-harm as a secret way to cope.

Mood Swings and Spins

Bipolar disorder can make high school life a whirlwind, swinging from super highs to deep lows.

Obsessions and Compulsions

Ever get caught in a loop? For some, OCD means battling obsessive thoughts and getting stuck in rituals.

Haunted by the Past

Trauma can leave behind ghostly memories, making everyday life feel like a haunted house for those with PTSD.

Peer Pressure Puzzles

The desire to fit in can sometimes lead to puzzling choices, and it’s not always easy to say no.

Bullying Battles

It’s like a tug of war with words and actions. Being the target can be emotionally draining, whether it’s in person or online.

Homework Hurdles

Balancing books and a social life can feel like walking on a tightrope. The result? Stress and anxiety take center stage.

Lonely Islands

Ever felt like you’re on an island, even in a crowd? Loneliness can make it seem like there’s a moat around you.

Identity Quest

High school is a time of discovery, including figuring out who you are. For LGBTQ+ teens, this journey can be filled with twists and turns.

Family Feuds

Imagine living in a constant soap opera – that’s what family conflicts or divorce can feel like for some students.

Remember, every student’s experience is as unique as their fingerprint. These challenges can vary in intensity and duration.

Seeking support from parents, teachers, counselors, or mental health professionals is like getting a trusty map for navigating this adventure called high school.

What are the top 5 mental health issues?

Have a close look at the top 5 mental health issue:-

The Cloud of Sadness: Depression

It’s like a heavy cloud that hangs over your head, casting shadows on everything you do. You feel persistently sad, uninterested, and just not yourself.

The Anxiety Tornado

Imagine your worries and fears swirling around like a tornado. That’s what anxiety disorders can feel like – an overwhelming storm of unease.

The Mind’s Maze: Schizophrenia

It’s as if your mind is a labyrinth with twists and turns, where reality blurs with hallucinations and bizarre beliefs. Schizophrenia is like navigating this intricate maze.

The Mood Swing Rollercoaster

Bipolar Disorder: Picture riding a rollercoaster of emotions. One moment you’re on top of the world (mania), and the next, you’re plunging into deep sadness (depression).

The Compulsion Carousel: OCD

Imagine having thoughts that won’t let you be, pushing you to perform rituals or actions over and over. It’s like riding a compulsive carousel you can’t step off.

These mental health issues are like unique challenges, and they can affect people differently. Seeking help and understanding is like finding a guiding light through these complex experiences.

In wrapping up, let’s remember that mental health is a topic that hits home for high school students. It’s like a secret world they’re all exploring while dealing with the daily drama of growing up. But here’s the exciting part – research can be their compass, guiding them through this uncharted territory.

The research topics we’ve covered aren’t just academic exercises; they’re windows into understanding their own minds and those of their peers.

From decoding the social media puzzle to shining a light on anxiety’s dark corners or even figuring out how family dynamics influence their emotions, these topics are their keys to unraveling mysteries and making a real impact.

Through research, high school students become mental health heroes, not just for themselves but for their whole generation. They gain not only knowledge but also superpowers of empathy and resilience.

It’s not just about facing the challenges; it’s about lighting up the path toward a brighter, more emotionally resilient future.

So, let’s cheer them on as they embark on this thrilling journey of discovery, where every question they ask is a step toward a healthier, happier, and more informed world.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can high school students benefit from researching mental health topics.

Researching mental health topics empowers high school students to understand, cope with, and support their own and their peers’ mental well-being. It equips them with valuable life skills.

Why is it important to study the teenage brain in relation to mental health?

Understanding the teenage brain helps us comprehend why adolescents may experience specific mental health challenges and how to effectively address them.

What are some practical stress management techniques for high school students?

Practical stress management techniques for high school students include mindfulness, meditation, exercise, and time management strategies.

How can families contribute to their high school student’s mental health?

Open and effective communication, along with a supportive family environment, can significantly contribute to a high school student’s mental well-being.

What role can high school students play in bullying prevention?

High school students can play a vital role in bullying prevention by being active bystanders, supporting victims, and promoting a culture of kindness and respect in their school community.

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150+ Trending Mental Health Research Topics For Students (2023)

Mental health is an important part of our well-being, encompassing our emotional, psychological, and social health. In the United States, the importance of addressing mental health has gained recognition, with growing concerns about stress, anxiety, and depression. 

In this blog, we will guide you the meaning of mental health research topics with our 5 useful tips. Moreover, we give you a list of 150+ Mental Health Research Topics in 2023, including qualitative, interesting, and even controversial ones, you’ll find options that suit your interests. From the impact of social media to the intersection of Mental Health with political science and music therapy, we’ve got you covered. 

Stay tuned for more on mental health research topics, and do not forget our bonus tips for selecting the best topics.

What Is Mental Health?

Table of Contents

Mental health is about how we feel and think inside our minds. It’s like taking care of our thoughts and emotions, just like we take care of our bodies. When our mental health is good, we usually feel happy and calm and can handle life’s challenges. But when our mental health is not so good, we might feel sad, anxious, or overwhelmed.

What Are Mental Health Research Topics? 

Mental health research topics are subjects that scientists and experts study to learn more about our thoughts and emotions. These topics include things like understanding what causes mental health problems, finding better ways to help people who are struggling, and figuring out how to prevent these issues from happening. Researchers also examine how different treatments, like therapy or medication, can help improve mental health.

These research topics are important because they help us learn more about our minds and how to keep them healthy. By studying these topics, scientists can discover new ways to support people who are facing mental health challenges, making it easier for everyone to lead happier and more balanced lives.

5 Useful Tips For Choosing Mental Health Research Topics

Here are some useful tips for choosing mental health research topics: 

1. Your research will be more focused and impactful.

2. You will be more likely to find funding and support.

3. You will be more likely to publish your research in peer-reviewed journals.

4. You will be more likely to make a huge contribution to the field of mental health research.

5. You will be more likely to enjoy your research experience.

Choosing the right mental health research topic is essential for success. By following the tips above, you can choose a topic that is focused, impactful, and relevant to your interests and expertise.

150+ Mental Health Research Topics In 2023

In this section, we will explore 150+ mental health research topics on different categories: 

Mental Health Research Topics For College Students

College students often face unique mental health challenges. Here are 15 research topics for studying mental health in this demographic:

• The impact of academic stress on college students’ mental health.
• Exploring the relationship between sleep patterns and mental well-being among college students.
• Analyzing the effectiveness of campus mental health services.
• Investigating the prevalence of substance abuse and its effects on mental health in college students.
• The role of peer support groups in reducing anxiety and depression among college students.
• Examining the influence of social media usage on the mental health of college students.
• The correlation between mental stress and financial stress issues in college students.
• The value of practicing mindfulness and meditation for college students’ mental health.
• Getting a better idea of how different cultures affect college students’ mental health.
• Trying to figure out how mental health and physical movement affect college students.
•  Investigating the stigma surrounding mental health issues in college environments.
•  Analyzing the role of academic pressure in the onset of eating disorders among college students.
•  The effectiveness of online mental health resources and apps for college students.
•  Examining the mental health challenges faced by LGBTQ+ college students.
•  The impact of COVID-19 and remote learning on the mental health of college students.

Mental Health Research Topics For High School Students

High school students also encounter unique mental health concerns. Here are 15 research topics for studying mental health in this age group:

•  The effects of academic pressure on the mental health of high school students.
•  Investigating the role of family dynamics in the emotional well-being of high school students.
•  Analyzing the impact of bullying and cyberbullying on the mental health of teenagers.
•  The relationship between social media use and body image issues in high school students.
•  Examining the effectiveness of mental health education programs in high schools.
•  Investigating the prevalence of self-harm and suicidal ideation among high school students.
•  Analyzing the influence of peer relationships on the mental health of adolescents.
•  The role of extracurricular activities in promoting positive mental health in high school students.
•  Exploring the effects of substances abuse on the mental well-being of teenagers.
•  Investigating the stigma surrounding mental health issues in high schools.
•  The effects of COVID-19 and remote learning on the mental health of high school students.
•  Examining the mental health challenges faced by immigrant and refugee high school students.
•  Analyzing the relationship between sleep patterns and mental health in adolescents.
•  The effectiveness of art and creative therapies in treating mental health issues in high school students.
•  Investigating the role of teachers and school counselors in supporting students’ mental health.

Mental Health Research Topics For Nursing Students

Nursing students play a vital role in mental health care. Here are 15 research topics relevant to nursing students:

•  The impact of nursing education on students’ mental health.
•  Investigating the effectiveness of therapeutic communication in psychiatric nursing.
•  Analyzing the role of psychiatric medications in mental health treatment.
•  The importance of self-care practices for nursing students’ mental well-being.
•  Exploring the challenges faced by nursing students in caring for patients with severe mental illness.
•  Investigating the influence of nursing curricula on reducing mental health stigma.
•  Analyzing the role of clinical placements in preparing nursing students for mental health nursing.
•  The effects of peer support programs on nursing students’ mental health.
•  Examining the prevalence of burnout and stress among nursing students.
• The importance of cultural skills in nursing care for different mental health patients.
•  Investigating the impact of technology and telehealth on mental health nursing practices.
•  Analyzing the ethical dilemmas faced by nursing students in mental health care.
•  Exploring the use of simulation training in psychiatric nursing education.
•  The effectiveness of mindfulness and stress management programs for nursing students.
•  Finding out what nursing students think about the healing model in mental health care is the goal of this study.

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Psychology Culture, And Mental Health Research Topics

Psychology and culture intersect in complex ways. Here are 15 research topics in this area:

•  Cross-cultural variations in the manifestation of mental disorders.
•  The influence of cultural beliefs on help-seeking behaviors for mental health issues.
•  Analyzing cultural factors in the diagnosis and treatment of depression.
• The effect of acculturation on the mental health of newcomers.
•  Exploring cultural stigma surrounding mental illness in different societies.
•  Investigating the role of traditional healing practices in mental health care.
•  Cross-cultural perspectives on the concept of resilience in mental health.
•  Analyzing cultural variations in the experience of anxiety disorders.
•  The role of cultural competence in psychotherapy and counseling.
•  Exploring indigenous perspectives on mental health and well-being.
•  The impact of globalization on cultural attitudes toward mental health.
•  Investigating the influence of religion and spirituality on mental health outcomes.
•  Analyzing cultural differences in the perception and treatment of eating disorders.
•  The role of cultural identity in coping with trauma and adversity.
•  Cross-cultural perspectives on the use of psychotropic medications in mental health treatment.

Community Mental Health Research Topics

Community mental health research is crucial for improving public well-being. Here are 15 research topics in this field:

•  Evaluating the effectiveness of community-based mental health programs.
•  Investigating the role of peer support networks in community mental health.
•  Analyzing the impact of housing instability on mental health in urban communities.
•  Why early intervention programs are so important for avoiding serious mental illness.
•  Exploring the use of telemedicine in delivering mental health services to underserved communities.
•  Investigating the integration of mental health care into primary care settings.
•  Analyzing the effectiveness of crisis intervention teams in community policing.
•  The role of community art and creative programs in promoting mental well-being.
•  Examining the mental health challenges faced by homeless populations.
•  The impact of community outreach and education on reducing mental health stigma.
•  Investigating the use of community gardens and green spaces for improving mental health.
•  Analyzing the relationship between neighborhood characteristics and mental health disparities.
•  Exploring the role of community leaders and advocates in mental health policy.
•  The effectiveness of community-based substance abuse treatment programs.
•  Finding out what part social determinants of health play in the mental health of a community.

Global Mental Health Research Topics

Mental health is a global issue with unique challenges. Here are 15 research topics in global mental health:

•  Analyzing the burden of mental illness on global public health.
•  Investigating the cultural variations in mental health stigma worldwide.
•   The impact of arms conflict and displacement on mental well-being.
•  Exploring the use of teletherapy for improving access to mental health care in low-resource settings.
•  Analyzing the role of traditional healers in global mental health care.
•  Investigating the mental health challenges faced by refugees and asylum seekers.
•  The effectiveness of international mental health aid and interventions.
•  Examining the mental health implications of weather change and natural disasters.
•  Analyzing the global prevalence and treatment of common mental disorders.
•  Exploring the intersection of infectious diseases (e.g., HIV/AIDS) and mental health.
•  Mental Health in Urban Environments: Analyzing the unique challenges faced by individuals living in densely populated urban areas.
•  Mental Health and Digital Technology: Exploring the impact of digital technology on mental well-being across cultures and age groups.
•  Mental Health in Indigenous Communities: Investigating mental health disparities among indigenous populations and the role of cultural preservation.
•  Mental Health in the Workplace: Examining workplace-related stressors and policies to support employees’ mental well-being globally.
•  Youth Mental Health: Studying mental health challenges among children and adolescents, considering factors like education and family dynamics.

Qualitative Mental Health Research Topics

Qualitative research in mental health can provide rich insights into individuals’ experiences and perceptions. Here are 15 qualitative research topics in mental health:

•  Exploring the lived experiences of individuals with schizophrenia.
•  Qualitative analysis of the stigma associated with seeking mental health treatment.
•  Understanding the coping mechanisms of parents with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
•  Investigating the narratives of individuals recovering from addiction.
•  Analyzing the cultural perceptions of depression and its treatment.
•  Examining the subjective experiences of caregivers of dementia patients.
•  Discussing the role of spirituality in the recovery process for people with mental illness.
•  Qualitative assessment of the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on stress reduction.
•  Investigating the narratives of survivors of suicide attempts.
•  Understanding the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals in mental health care.
•  Analyzing the perceptions of veterans regarding post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment.
•  Exploring the subjective experiences of individuals with eating disorders.
•  Qualitative assessment of the role of peer support groups in recovery from substance abuse.
• Investigating the stigma and barriers faced by individuals with bipolar disorder.
• Understanding the cultural variations in perceptions of anxiety disorders.

Interesting Mental Health Research Topics

Fascinating mental health topics can engage researchers and readers alike. Here are 15 intriguing research topics in mental health:

• The impact of virtual reality therapy on anxiety and phobias.
• Investigating the connection between creativity and mental well-being.
• Analyzing the role of pet therapy in reducing stress and anxiety.
• Exploring the effects of nature and green spaces on mental health.
• The relationship between personality types (e.g., introversion, extroversion) and mental health outcomes.
• Investigating the benefits of laughter therapy on mood and stress.
• Analyzing the effects of lucid dreaming on nightmares and trauma.
• Exploring the mental health benefits of volunteering and altruism.
• The impact of time-restricted eating on mood and cognitive function.
• Investigating the use of virtual support groups for individuals with social anxiety.
• Analyzing the relationship between music and memory in Alzheimer’s disease.
• Exploring the mental health effects of color psychology and interior design.
• The role of adventure therapy in enhancing self-esteem and resilience.
• Investigating the influence of childhood hobbies on adult mental well-being.
• Analyzing the connection between humor and emotional intelligence in mental health promotion.

Social Media On Mental Health Research Topics

Social media’s impact on mental health is a timely and relevant research area. Here are 15 research topics on this subject:

• Analyzing the relationship between social media use and feelings of loneliness.
• Investigating the effects of cyberbullying on adolescent mental health.
• The influence of social media comparison on body image dissatisfaction.
• Exploring the role of social media in the dissemination of mental health information.
• Analyzing the impact of social media detoxes on well-being.
• Investigating the link between excessive screen time and sleep disturbances.
• The effects of online support communities on mental health recovery.
• Exploring the role of influencer culture in shaping mental health perceptions.
• Analyzing the relationship between social media activism and mental well-being.
• Investigating the impact of “FOMO” (Fear of Missing Out) on anxiety levels.
• The role of social media in spreading wrong information about mental health.
• Exploring the effects of targeted advertising on mental health outcomes.
• Analyzing the relationship between online gaming and addictive behaviors.
• Investigating the influence of social media on political polarization and mental health.
• The role of social media in fostering a sense of community among marginalized groups with mental health issues.

Cool Mental Health Research Topics

Cool mental health topics can pique interest and lead to innovative research. Here are some cool research topics in mental health:

• Investigating the therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances for mental health treatment.
• Analyzing the impact of virtual reality gaming on managing stress and anxiety.
• Exploring the use of artificial intelligence and chatbots in mental health counseling.
• The effectiveness of mindfulness apps and wearable devices in promoting mental well-being.
• Investigating the role of gut microbiota in mood and mental health.
• Analyzing the use of neurofeedback technology for improving attention and focus in ADHD.
• Exploring the benefits of equine-assisted therapy for individuals with PTSD .
• The potential of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for treating depression.
• Investigating the use of art therapy and virtual art galleries for mental health support.
• Analyzing the impact of music and sound therapy on sleep quality and anxiety.
• Exploring the use of scent and aroma therapy in mood regulation.
• The role of biofeedback and wearable sensors in managing panic disorders.
• Investigating the mental health benefits of urban gardening and green rooftops.
• Analyzing the use of brain-computer interfaces in enhancing emotional regulation.
• Exploring the connection between outdoor adventure activities and resilience in mental health recovery.

Understanding what mental health is and exploring various mental health research topics is crucial in addressing the challenges individuals face today. Choosing the right topic involves considering your audience and interests, as highlighted in our five tips. With 150+ mental health research topics for 2023, we have provided options for college, high school, and nursing students and those interested in psychology, culture, and global perspectives. 

Moreover, qualitative and intriguing topics offer diverse avenues for exploration while acknowledging the impact of social media on mental health is essential. Remember our bonus tips when selecting your mental health research topic – prioritize relevance and impact to make a meaningful contribution to this vital field.

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Research Topics & Ideas: Mental Health

100+ Mental Health Research Topic Ideas To Fast-Track Your Project

If you’re just starting out exploring mental health topics for your dissertation, thesis or research project, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll help kickstart your research topic ideation process by providing a hearty list of mental health-related research topics and ideas.

PS – This is just the start…

We know it’s exciting to run through a list of research topics, but please keep in mind that this list is just a starting point . To develop a suitable education-related research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , and a viable plan of action to fill that gap.

If this sounds foreign to you, check out our free research topic webinar that explores how to find and refine a high-quality research topic, from scratch. Alternatively, if you’d like hands-on help, consider our 1-on-1 coaching service .

Overview: Mental Health Topic Ideas

• Mood disorders
• Anxiety disorders
• Psychotic disorders
• Personality disorders
• Obsessive-compulsive disorders
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Neurodevelopmental disorders
• Eating disorders
• Substance-related disorders

Mood Disorders

Research in mood disorders can help understand their causes and improve treatment methods. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

• The impact of genetics on the susceptibility to depression
• Efficacy of antidepressants vs. cognitive behavioural therapy
• The role of gut microbiota in mood regulation
• Cultural variations in the experience and diagnosis of bipolar disorder
• Seasonal Affective Disorder: Environmental factors and treatment
• The link between depression and chronic illnesses
• Exercise as an adjunct treatment for mood disorders
• Hormonal changes and mood swings in postpartum women
• Stigma around mood disorders in the workplace
• Suicidal tendencies among patients with severe mood disorders

Anxiety Disorders

Research topics in this category can potentially explore the triggers, coping mechanisms, or treatment efficacy for anxiety disorders.

• The relationship between social media and anxiety
• Exposure therapy effectiveness in treating phobias
• Generalised Anxiety Disorder in children: Early signs and interventions
• The role of mindfulness in treating anxiety
• Genetics and heritability of anxiety disorders
• The link between anxiety disorders and heart disease
• Anxiety prevalence in LGBTQ+ communities
• Caffeine consumption and its impact on anxiety levels
• The economic cost of untreated anxiety disorders
• Virtual Reality as a treatment method for anxiety disorders

Psychotic Disorders

Within this space, your research topic could potentially aim to investigate the underlying factors and treatment possibilities for psychotic disorders.

• Early signs and interventions in adolescent psychosis
• Brain imaging techniques for diagnosing psychotic disorders
• The efficacy of antipsychotic medication
• The role of family history in psychotic disorders
• Misdiagnosis and delayed treatment of psychotic disorders
• Co-morbidity of psychotic and mood disorders
• The relationship between substance abuse and psychotic disorders
• Art therapy as a treatment for schizophrenia
• Public perception and stigma around psychotic disorders
• Hospital vs. community-based care for psychotic disorders

Personality Disorders

Research topics within in this area could delve into the identification, management, and social implications of personality disorders.

• Long-term outcomes of borderline personality disorder
• Antisocial personality disorder and criminal behaviour
• The role of early life experiences in developing personality disorders
• Narcissistic personality disorder in corporate leaders
• Gender differences in personality disorders
• Diagnosis challenges for Cluster A personality disorders
• Emotional intelligence and its role in treating personality disorders
• Psychotherapy methods for treating personality disorders
• Personality disorders in the elderly population
• Stigma and misconceptions about personality disorders

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders

Within this space, research topics could focus on the causes, symptoms, or treatment of disorders like OCD and hoarding.

• OCD and its relationship with anxiety disorders
• Cognitive mechanisms behind hoarding behaviour
• Deep Brain Stimulation as a treatment for severe OCD
• The impact of OCD on academic performance in students
• Role of family and social networks in treating OCD
• Alternative treatments for hoarding disorder
• Childhood onset OCD: Diagnosis and treatment
• OCD and religious obsessions
• The impact of OCD on family dynamics
• Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Causes and treatment

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Research topics in this area could explore the triggers, symptoms, and treatments for PTSD. Here are some thought starters to get you moving.

• PTSD in military veterans: Coping mechanisms and treatment
• Childhood trauma and adult onset PTSD
• Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) efficacy
• Role of emotional support animals in treating PTSD
• Gender differences in PTSD occurrence and treatment
• Effectiveness of group therapy for PTSD patients
• PTSD and substance abuse: A dual diagnosis
• First responders and rates of PTSD
• Domestic violence as a cause of PTSD
• The neurobiology of PTSD

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

This category of mental health aims to better understand disorders like Autism and ADHD and their impact on day-to-day life.

• Early diagnosis and interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder
• ADHD medication and its impact on academic performance
• Parental coping strategies for children with neurodevelopmental disorders
• Autism and gender: Diagnosis disparities
• The role of diet in managing ADHD symptoms
• Neurodevelopmental disorders in the criminal justice system
• Genetic factors influencing Autism
• ADHD and its relationship with sleep disorders
• Educational adaptations for children with neurodevelopmental disorders
• Neurodevelopmental disorders and stigma in schools

Eating Disorders

Research topics within this space can explore the psychological, social, and biological aspects of eating disorders.

• The role of social media in promoting eating disorders
• Family dynamics and their impact on anorexia
• Biological basis of binge-eating disorder
• Treatment outcomes for bulimia nervosa
• Eating disorders in athletes
• Media portrayal of body image and its impact
• Eating disorders and gender: Are men underdiagnosed?
• Cultural variations in eating disorders
• The relationship between obesity and eating disorders
• Eating disorders in the LGBTQ+ community

Substance-Related Disorders

Research topics in this category can focus on addiction mechanisms, treatment options, and social implications.

• Efficacy of rehabilitation centres for alcohol addiction
• The role of genetics in substance abuse
• Substance abuse and its impact on family dynamics
• Prescription drug abuse among the elderly
• Legalisation of marijuana and its impact on substance abuse rates
• Alcoholism and its relationship with liver diseases
• Opioid crisis: Causes and solutions
• Substance abuse education in schools: Is it effective?
• Harm reduction strategies for drug abuse
• Co-occurring mental health disorders in substance abusers

Choosing A Research Topic

These research topic ideas we’ve covered here serve as thought starters to help you explore different areas within mental health. They are intentionally very broad and open-ended. By engaging with the currently literature in your field of interest, you’ll be able to narrow down your focus to a specific research gap .

It’s important to consider a variety of factors when choosing a topic for your dissertation or thesis . Think about the relevance of the topic, its feasibility , and the resources available to you, including time, data, and academic guidance. Also, consider your own interest and expertise in the subject, as this will sustain you through the research process.

Always consult with your academic advisor to ensure that your chosen topic aligns with academic requirements and offers a meaningful contribution to the field. If you need help choosing a topic, consider our private coaching service.

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Good morning everyone. This are very patent topics for research in neuroscience. Thank you for guidance

What if everything is important, original and intresting? as in Neuroscience. I find myself overwhelmd with tens of relveant areas and within each area many optional topics. I ask myself if importance (for example – able to treat people suffering) is more relevant than what intrest me, and on the other hand if what advance me further in my career should not also be a consideration?

This information is really helpful and have learnt alot

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In cdc survey, 37% of u.s. high school students report regular mental health struggles during covid-19 pandemic.

Many high school students have reported experiencing mental health challenges during the coronavirus outbreak, according to recently published survey findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). High school students who are gay, lesbian or bisexual, as well as girls, were especially likely to say their mental health has suffered during the pandemic.

This analysis explores U.S. high school students’ self-reported mental health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. It expands on Pew Research Center surveys that have explored U.S. adults’ mental health difficulties during this time. Not all of the survey questions asked specifically about mental health during the pandemic.

This analysis relies on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES), which was conducted from January to June 2021 to assess students’ health-related behaviors and experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. ABES surveyed high school students in grades 9-12 attending U.S. public and private schools. More information about the survey and its methodology can be found on the CDC’s website.

The results from this one-time survey are not directly comparable to previous CDC surveys on these topics.

Overall, 37% of students at public and private high schools reported that their mental health was not good most or all of the time during the pandemic, according to the CDC’s Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey , which was fielded from January to June 2021. In the survey, “poor mental health” includes stress, anxiety and depression. About three-in-ten high school students (31%) said they experienced poor mental health most or all of the time in the 30 days before the survey. In addition, 44% said that, in the previous 12 months, they felt sad or hopeless almost every day for at least two weeks in a row such that they stopped doing some usual activities. (Not all of the survey questions asked specifically about mental health during the pandemic.)

High school students who are gay, lesbian or bisexual reported higher rates of mental health stresses than their heterosexual (straight) peers. The share of LGB high schoolers who said their mental health was not good most of the time or always during the pandemic was more than double that of heterosexual students (64% vs. 30%). More than half of LGB students (55%) said they experienced poor mental health at least most of the time in the 30 days before the survey, while 26% of heterosexual teens said the same. And about three-quarters of LGB high schoolers (76%) said they felt sad or hopeless almost daily for at least two weeks such that they stopped doing some of their usual activities, compared with 37% of heterosexual students.

There were also differences by gender. About half of high school girls (49%) said their mental health was not good most of the time or always during the COVID-19 outbreak – roughly double the share of boys who said this (24%). And roughly four-in-ten girls (42%) reported feeling this way in the 30 days before the survey; 20% of boys said the same. About six-in-ten high school girls (57%) reported that at some point in the 12 months before taking the survey (in the first half of 2021) they felt sad or hopeless almost every day for at least two weeks in a row such that they stopped doing some usual activities, compared with 31% of high school boys who said this.

LGB high schoolers were also more likely than their heterosexual peers to have sought mental health care – including treatment or counseling for alcohol or drug use – via telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Around one-in-five LGB students (19%) said they received treatment this way at some point during the pandemic, compared with 6% of heterosexual students. Girls were more likely than boys to have received mental health care through telemedicine (10% vs. 7%, respectively).

Pandemic-related disruptions to schooling, socializing and family life have created a situation that the U.S. surgeon general has described as a “ youth mental health crisis ,” with high rates of teens experiencing distress. But public health experts had called attention to teen mental health even before the coronavirus outbreak. For instance, a separate CDC survey conducted in 2015 found that LGB teens were at greater risk of depression than their heterosexual peers. And a Pew Research Center analysis of pre-pandemic data from the National Survey for Drug Use and Health showed teenage girls were more likely than their male peers to report recent experiences with depression , as well as to receive treatment for it.

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Most americans who go to religious services say they would trust their clergy’s advice on covid-19 vaccines, what we know about online learning and the homework gap amid the pandemic, unvaccinated americans are at higher risk from covid-19 but express less concern than vaccinated adults, americans who relied most on trump for covid-19 news among least likely to be vaccinated, most popular.

About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

• Research article
• Open access
• Published: 14 December 2021

Bullying at school and mental health problems among adolescents: a repeated cross-sectional study

• Håkan Källmén 1 &
• Mats Hallgren   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0599-2403 2  

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health volume  15 , Article number:  74 ( 2021 ) Cite this article

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To examine recent trends in bullying and mental health problems among adolescents and the association between them.

A questionnaire measuring mental health problems, bullying at school, socio-economic status, and the school environment was distributed to all secondary school students aged 15 (school-year 9) and 18 (school-year 11) in Stockholm during 2014, 2018, and 2020 (n = 32,722). Associations between bullying and mental health problems were assessed using logistic regression analyses adjusting for relevant demographic, socio-economic, and school-related factors.

The prevalence of bullying remained stable and was highest among girls in year 9; range = 4.9% to 16.9%. Mental health problems increased; range = + 1.2% (year 9 boys) to + 4.6% (year 11 girls) and were consistently higher among girls (17.2% in year 11, 2020). In adjusted models, having been bullied was detrimentally associated with mental health (OR = 2.57 [2.24–2.96]). Reports of mental health problems were four times higher among boys who had been bullied compared to those not bullied. The corresponding figure for girls was 2.4 times higher.

Conclusions

Exposure to bullying at school was associated with higher odds of mental health problems. Boys appear to be more vulnerable to the deleterious effects of bullying than girls.

Introduction

Bullying involves repeated hurtful actions between peers where an imbalance of power exists [ 1 ]. Arseneault et al. [ 2 ] conducted a review of the mental health consequences of bullying for children and adolescents and found that bullying is associated with severe symptoms of mental health problems, including self-harm and suicidality. Bullying was shown to have detrimental effects that persist into late adolescence and contribute independently to mental health problems. Updated reviews have presented evidence indicating that bullying is causative of mental illness in many adolescents [ 3 , 4 ].

There are indications that mental health problems are increasing among adolescents in some Nordic countries. Hagquist et al. [ 5 ] examined trends in mental health among Scandinavian adolescents (n = 116, 531) aged 11–15 years between 1993 and 2014. Mental health problems were operationalized as difficulty concentrating, sleep disorders, headache, stomach pain, feeling tense, sad and/or dizzy. The study revealed increasing rates of adolescent mental health problems in all four counties (Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark), with Sweden experiencing the sharpest increase among older adolescents, particularly girls. Worsening adolescent mental health has also been reported in the United Kingdom. A study of 28,100 school-aged adolescents in England found that two out of five young people scored above thresholds for emotional problems, conduct problems or hyperactivity [ 6 ]. Female gender, deprivation, high needs status (educational/social), ethnic background, and older age were all associated with higher odds of experiencing mental health difficulties.

Bullying is shown to increase the risk of poor mental health and may partly explain these detrimental changes. Le et al. [ 7 ] reported an inverse association between bullying and mental health among 11–16-year-olds in Vietnam. They also found that poor mental health can make some children and adolescents more vulnerable to bullying at school. Bayer et al. [ 8 ] examined links between bullying at school and mental health among 8–9-year-old children in Australia. Those who experienced bullying more than once a week had poorer mental health than children who experienced bullying less frequently. Friendships moderated this association, such that children with more friends experienced fewer mental health problems (protective effect). Hysing et al. [ 9 ] investigated the association between experiences of bullying (as a victim or perpetrator) and mental health, sleep disorders, and school performance among 16–19 year olds from Norway (n = 10,200). Participants were categorized as victims, bullies, or bully-victims (that is, victims who also bullied others). All three categories were associated with worse mental health, school performance, and sleeping difficulties. Those who had been bullied also reported more emotional problems, while those who bullied others reported more conduct disorders [ 9 ].

As most adolescents spend a considerable amount of time at school, the school environment has been a major focus of mental health research [ 10 , 11 ]. In a recent review, Saminathen et al. [ 12 ] concluded that school is a potential protective factor against mental health problems, as it provides a socially supportive context and prepares students for higher education and employment. However, it may also be the primary setting for protracted bullying and stress [ 13 ]. Another factor associated with adolescent mental health is parental socio-economic status (SES) [ 14 ]. A systematic review indicated that lower parental SES is associated with poorer adolescent mental health [ 15 ]. However, no previous studies have examined whether SES modifies or attenuates the association between bullying and mental health. Similarly, it remains unclear whether school related factors, such as school grades and the school environment, influence the relationship between bullying and mental health. This information could help to identify those adolescents most at risk of harm from bullying.

To address these issues, we investigated the prevalence of bullying at school and mental health problems among Swedish adolescents aged 15–18 years between 2014 and 2020 using a population-based school survey. We also examined associations between bullying at school and mental health problems adjusting for relevant demographic, socioeconomic, and school-related factors. We hypothesized that: (1) bullying and adolescent mental health problems have increased over time; (2) There is an association between bullying victimization and mental health, so that mental health problems are more prevalent among those who have been victims of bullying; and (3) that school-related factors would attenuate the association between bullying and mental health.

Participants

The Stockholm school survey is completed every other year by students in lower secondary school (year 9—compulsory) and upper secondary school (year 11). The survey is mandatory for public schools, but voluntary for private schools. The purpose of the survey is to help inform decision making by local authorities that will ultimately improve students’ wellbeing. The questions relate to life circumstances, including SES, schoolwork, bullying, drug use, health, and crime. Non-completers are those who were absent from school when the survey was completed (< 5%). Response rates vary from year to year but are typically around 75%. For the current study data were available for 2014, 2018 and 2020. In 2014; 5235 boys and 5761 girls responded, in 2018; 5017 boys and 5211 girls responded, and in 2020; 5633 boys and 5865 girls responded (total n = 32,722). Data for the exposure variable, bullied at school, were missing for 4159 students, leaving 28,563 participants in the crude model. The fully adjusted model (described below) included 15,985 participants. The mean age in grade 9 was 15.3 years (SD = 0.51) and in grade 11, 17.3 years (SD = 0.61). As the data are completely anonymous, the study was exempt from ethical approval according to an earlier decision from the Ethical Review Board in Stockholm (2010-241 31-5). Details of the survey are available via a website [ 16 ], and are described in a previous paper [ 17 ].

Students completed the questionnaire during a school lesson, placed it in a sealed envelope and handed it to their teacher. Student were permitted the entire lesson (about 40 min) to complete the questionnaire and were informed that participation was voluntary (and that they were free to cancel their participation at any time without consequences). Students were also informed that the Origo Group was responsible for collection of the data on behalf of the City of Stockholm.

Study outcome

Mental health problems were assessed by using a modified version of the Psychosomatic Problem Scale [ 18 ] shown to be appropriate for children and adolescents and invariant across gender and years. The scale was later modified [ 19 ]. In the modified version, items about difficulty concentrating and feeling giddy were deleted and an item about ‘life being great to live’ was added. Seven different symptoms or problems, such as headaches, depression, feeling fear, stomach problems, difficulty sleeping, believing it’s great to live (coded negatively as seldom or rarely) and poor appetite were used. Students who responded (on a 5-point scale) that any of these problems typically occurs ‘at least once a week’ were considered as having indicators of a mental health problem. Cronbach alpha was 0.69 across the whole sample. Adding these problem areas, a total index was created from 0 to 7 mental health symptoms. Those who scored between 0 and 4 points on the total symptoms index were considered to have a low indication of mental health problems (coded as 0); those who scored between 5 and 7 symptoms were considered as likely having mental health problems (coded as 1).

Primary exposure

Experiences of bullying were measured by the following two questions: Have you felt bullied or harassed during the past school year? Have you been involved in bullying or harassing other students during this school year? Alternatives for the first question were: yes or no with several options describing how the bullying had taken place (if yes). Alternatives indicating emotional bullying were feelings of being mocked, ridiculed, socially excluded, or teased. Alternatives indicating physical bullying were being beaten, kicked, forced to do something against their will, robbed, or locked away somewhere. The response alternatives for the second question gave an estimation of how often the respondent had participated in bullying others (from once to several times a week). Combining the answers to these two questions, five different categories of bullying were identified: (1) never been bullied and never bully others; (2) victims of emotional (verbal) bullying who have never bullied others; (3) victims of physical bullying who have never bullied others; (4) victims of bullying who have also bullied others; and (5) perpetrators of bullying, but not victims. As the number of positive cases in the last three categories was low (range = 3–15 cases) bully categories 2–4 were combined into one primary exposure variable: ‘bullied at school’.

Assessment year was operationalized as the year when data was collected: 2014, 2018, and 2020. Age was operationalized as school grade 9 (15–16 years) or 11 (17–18 years). Gender was self-reported (boy or girl). The school situation To assess experiences of the school situation, students responded to 18 statements about well-being in school, participation in important school matters, perceptions of their teachers, and teaching quality. Responses were given on a four-point Likert scale ranging from ‘do not agree at all’ to ‘fully agree’. To reduce the 18-items down to their essential factors, we performed a principal axis factor analysis. Results showed that the 18 statements formed five factors which, according to the Kaiser criterion (eigen values > 1) explained 56% of the covariance in the student’s experience of the school situation. The five factors identified were: (1) Participation in school; (2) Interesting and meaningful work; (3) Feeling well at school; (4) Structured school lessons; and (5) Praise for achievements. For each factor, an index was created that was dichotomised (poor versus good circumstance) using the median-split and dummy coded with ‘good circumstance’ as reference. A description of the items included in each factor is available as Additional file 1 . Socio-economic status (SES) was assessed with three questions about the education level of the student’s mother and father (dichotomized as university degree versus not), and the amount of spending money the student typically received for entertainment each month (> SEK 1000 [approximately $120] versus less). Higher parental education and more spending money were used as reference categories. School grades in Swedish, English, and mathematics were measured separately on a 7-point scale and dichotomized as high (grades A, B, and C) versus low (grades D, E, and F). High school grades were used as the reference category.

Statistical analyses

The prevalence of mental health problems and bullying at school are presented using descriptive statistics, stratified by survey year (2014, 2018, 2020), gender, and school year (9 versus 11). As noted, we reduced the 18-item questionnaire assessing school function down to five essential factors by conducting a principal axis factor analysis (see Additional file 1 ). We then calculated the association between bullying at school (defined above) and mental health problems using multivariable logistic regression. Results are presented as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (Cis). To assess the contribution of SES and school-related factors to this association, three models are presented: Crude, Model 1 adjusted for demographic factors: age, gender, and assessment year; Model 2 adjusted for Model 1 plus SES (parental education and student spending money), and Model 3 adjusted for Model 2 plus school-related factors (school grades and the five factors identified in the principal factor analysis). These covariates were entered into the regression models in three blocks, where the final model represents the fully adjusted analyses. In all models, the category ‘not bullied at school’ was used as the reference. Pseudo R-square was calculated to estimate what proportion of the variance in mental health problems was explained by each model. Unlike the R-square statistic derived from linear regression, the Pseudo R-square statistic derived from logistic regression gives an indicator of the explained variance, as opposed to an exact estimate, and is considered informative in identifying the relative contribution of each model to the outcome [ 20 ]. All analyses were performed using SPSS v. 26.0.

Prevalence of bullying at school and mental health problems

Estimates of the prevalence of bullying at school and mental health problems across the 12 strata of data (3 years × 2 school grades × 2 genders) are shown in Table 1 . The prevalence of bullying at school increased minimally (< 1%) between 2014 and 2020, except among girls in grade 11 (2.5% increase). Mental health problems increased between 2014 and 2020 (range = 1.2% [boys in year 11] to 4.6% [girls in year 11]); were three to four times more prevalent among girls (range = 11.6% to 17.2%) compared to boys (range = 2.6% to 4.9%); and were more prevalent among older adolescents compared to younger adolescents (range = 1% to 3.1% higher). Pooling all data, reports of mental health problems were four times more prevalent among boys who had been victims of bullying compared to those who reported no experiences with bullying. The corresponding figure for girls was two and a half times as prevalent.

Associations between bullying at school and mental health problems

Table 2 shows the association between bullying at school and mental health problems after adjustment for relevant covariates. Demographic factors, including female gender (OR = 3.87; CI 3.48–4.29), older age (OR = 1.38, CI 1.26–1.50), and more recent assessment year (OR = 1.18, CI 1.13–1.25) were associated with higher odds of mental health problems. In Model 2, none of the included SES variables (parental education and student spending money) were associated with mental health problems. In Model 3 (fully adjusted), the following school-related factors were associated with higher odds of mental health problems: lower grades in Swedish (OR = 1.42, CI 1.22–1.67); uninteresting or meaningless schoolwork (OR = 2.44, CI 2.13–2.78); feeling unwell at school (OR = 1.64, CI 1.34–1.85); unstructured school lessons (OR = 1.31, CI = 1.16–1.47); and no praise for achievements (OR = 1.19, CI 1.06–1.34). After adjustment for all covariates, being bullied at school remained associated with higher odds of mental health problems (OR = 2.57; CI 2.24–2.96). Demographic and school-related factors explained 12% and 6% of the variance in mental health problems, respectively (Pseudo R-Square). The inclusion of socioeconomic factors did not alter the variance explained.

Our findings indicate that mental health problems increased among Swedish adolescents between 2014 and 2020, while the prevalence of bullying at school remained stable (< 1% increase), except among girls in year 11, where the prevalence increased by 2.5%. As previously reported [ 5 , 6 ], mental health problems were more common among girls and older adolescents. These findings align with previous studies showing that adolescents who are bullied at school are more likely to experience mental health problems compared to those who are not bullied [ 3 , 4 , 9 ]. This detrimental relationship was observed after adjustment for school-related factors shown to be associated with adolescent mental health [ 10 ].

A novel finding was that boys who had been bullied at school reported a four-times higher prevalence of mental health problems compared to non-bullied boys. The corresponding figure for girls was 2.5 times higher for those who were bullied compared to non-bullied girls, which could indicate that boys are more vulnerable to the deleterious effects of bullying than girls. Alternatively, it may indicate that boys are (on average) bullied more frequently or more intensely than girls, leading to worse mental health. Social support could also play a role; adolescent girls often have stronger social networks than boys and could be more inclined to voice concerns about bullying to significant others, who in turn may offer supports which are protective [ 21 ]. Related studies partly confirm this speculative explanation. An Estonian study involving 2048 children and adolescents aged 10–16 years found that, compared to girls, boys who had been bullied were more likely to report severe distress, measured by poor mental health and feelings of hopelessness [ 22 ].

Other studies suggest that heritable traits, such as the tendency to internalize problems and having low self-esteem are associated with being a bully-victim [ 23 ]. Genetics are understood to explain a large proportion of bullying-related behaviors among adolescents. A study from the Netherlands involving 8215 primary school children found that genetics explained approximately 65% of the risk of being a bully-victim [ 24 ]. This proportion was similar for boys and girls. Higher than average body mass index (BMI) is another recognized risk factor [ 25 ]. A recent Australian trial involving 13 schools and 1087 students (mean age = 13 years) targeted adolescents with high-risk personality traits (hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity, sensation seeking) to reduce bullying at school; both as victims and perpetrators [ 26 ]. There was no significant intervention effect for bullying victimization or perpetration in the total sample. In a secondary analysis, compared to the control schools, intervention school students showed greater reductions in victimization, suicidal ideation, and emotional symptoms. These findings potentially support targeting high-risk personality traits in bullying prevention [ 26 ].

The relative stability of bullying at school between 2014 and 2020 suggests that other factors may better explain the increase in mental health problems seen here. Many factors could be contributing to these changes, including the increasingly competitive labour market, higher demands for education, and the rapid expansion of social media [ 19 , 27 , 28 ]. A recent Swedish study involving 29,199 students aged between 11 and 16 years found that the effects of school stress on psychosomatic symptoms have become stronger over time (1993–2017) and have increased more among girls than among boys [ 10 ]. Research is needed examining possible gender differences in perceived school stress and how these differences moderate associations between bullying and mental health.

Strengths and limitations

Strengths of the current study include the large participant sample from diverse schools; public and private, theoretical and practical orientations. The survey included items measuring diverse aspects of the school environment; factors previously linked to adolescent mental health but rarely included as covariates in studies of bullying and mental health. Some limitations are also acknowledged. These data are cross-sectional which means that the direction of the associations cannot be determined. Moreover, all the variables measured were self-reported. Previous studies indicate that students tend to under-report bullying and mental health problems [ 29 ]; thus, our results may underestimate the prevalence of these behaviors.

In conclusion, consistent with our stated hypotheses, we observed an increase in self-reported mental health problems among Swedish adolescents, and a detrimental association between bullying at school and mental health problems. Although bullying at school does not appear to be the primary explanation for these changes, bullying was detrimentally associated with mental health after adjustment for relevant demographic, socio-economic, and school-related factors, confirming our third hypothesis. The finding that boys are potentially more vulnerable than girls to the deleterious effects of bullying should be replicated in future studies, and the mechanisms investigated. Future studies should examine the longitudinal association between bullying and mental health, including which factors mediate/moderate this relationship. Epigenetic studies are also required to better understand the complex interaction between environmental and biological risk factors for adolescent mental health [ 24 ].

Availability of data and materials

Data requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis; please email the corresponding author.

Code availability

Not applicable.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are grateful to the Department for Social Affairs, Stockholm, for permission to use data from the Stockholm School Survey.

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Håkan Källmén

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HK conceived the study and analyzed the data (with input from MH). HK and MH interpreted the data and jointly wrote the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Källmén, H., Hallgren, M. Bullying at school and mental health problems among adolescents: a repeated cross-sectional study. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 15 , 74 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-021-00425-y

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207 Mental Health Research Topics For Top Students

College and university students pursuing psychology studies must write research papers on mental health in their studies. It is not always an exciting moment for the students since getting quality mental health topics is tedious. However, this article presents expert ideas and writing tips for students in this field. Enjoy!

What Is Mental Health?

It is an integral component of health that deals with the feeling of well-being when one realizes his or her abilities, cope with the pressures of life, and productively work. Mental health also incorporates how humans interact with each other, emote, or think. It is a vital concern of any human life that cannot be neglected.

How To Write Mental Health Research Topics

One should approach the subject of mental health with utmost preciseness. If handled carelessly, cases such as depression, suicide or low self-esteem may occur. That is why students are advised to carefully choose mental health research paper topics for their paper with the mind reader.

To get mental health topics for research paper, you can use the following sources:

• The WHO website
• Websites of renowned psychology clinics
• News reports and headlines.

However, we have a list of writing ideas that you can use for your inspiration. Check them out!

Top Mental Disorders Research Topics

• Is the psychological treatment of mental disorders working for all?
• How do substance-use disorders impede the healing process?
• Discuss the effectiveness of the mental health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP)
• Are non-specialists in mental health able to manage severe mental disorders?
• The role of the WHO in curbing and treating mental disorders globally
• The contribution of coronavirus pandemic to mental disorders
• How does television contribute to mental disorders among teens?
• Does religion play a part in propagating mental disorders?
• How does peer pressure contribute to mental disorders among teens?
• The role of the guidance and counselling departments in helping victims of mental disorders
• How to develop integrated and responsive mental health to such disorders
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• The role of antidepressant medicines in treating mental illnesses
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• The impact of mental illnesses on the economic development of a country
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• The role of nutrition and diet in causing mental illness
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• Do stress prevention programmes on TV work?
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• How can biological factors lead to mental problems?
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• Is physical ill-health a pivotal contributor to mental disorders today?
• Why sexual violence has led many to depression and suicide
• The role of life experiences in mental illnesses: A case of trauma
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• Can people with mental health problems recover entirely?
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• Why do people with mental health problems pull away from others?
• Discuss confusion as a sign of mental disorders

Research Topics For Mental Health Counseling

• Counselling strategies that help victims cope with the stresses of life
• Is getting professional counselling help becoming too expensive?
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• What issues are students free to share with their guiding and counselling masters?
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• How to make a patient feel comfortable during a counselling session
• Why counsellors should not push patients to talk about stuff they aren’t ready to share

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• Does the Capacity to Consent to Treatment law push patients to the wall?
• Evaluate the effectiveness of mental health courts
• Does forcible medication lead to severe mental health problems?
• Discuss the institutionalization of mental health facilities
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• Critically analyze proxy decision making for mental disorders
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• Discuss the therapeutic jurisprudence of mental disorders
• How effective is legal guardianship in the case of mental disorders?
• Discuss psychology laws & licensing boards in the United States
• Evaluate state insanity defence laws

Controversial Research Paper Topics About Mental Health

• Do mentally ill patients have a right to choose whether to go to psychiatric centres or not?
• Should families take the elderly to mental health institutions?
• Does the doctor have the right to end the life of a terminally ill mental patient?
• The use of euthanasia among extreme cases of mental health
• Are mental disorders a result of curses and witchcraft?
• Do violent video games make children aggressive and uncontrollable?
• Should mental institutions be located outside the cities?
• How often should families visit their relatives who are mentally ill?
• Why the government should fully support the mentally ill
• Should mental health clinics use pictures of patients without their consent?
• Should families pay for the care of mentally ill relatives?
• Do mentally ill patients have the right to marry or get married?
• Who determines when to send a patient to a mental health facility?

Mental Health Topics For Discussion

• The role of drama and music in treating mental health problems
• Explore new ways of coping with mental health problems in the 21 st century
• How social media is contributing to various mental health problems
• Does Yoga and meditation help to treat mental health complications?
• Is the mental health curriculum for psychology students inclusive enough?
• Why solving problems as a family can help alleviate mental health disorders
• Why teachers can either maintain or disrupt the mental state of their students
• Should patients with mental health issues learn to live with their problems?
• Why socializing is difficult for patients with mental disorders
• Are our online psychology clinics effective in handling mental health issues?
• Discuss why people aged 18-25 are more prone to mental health problems
• Analyze the growing trend of social stigma in the United States
• Are all people with mental health disorders violent and dangerous?

Mental Health Of New Mothers Research Topics

• The role of mental disorders in mother-infant bonding
• How mental health issues could lead to delays in the emotional development of the infant
• The impact of COVID-19 physical distancing measures on postpartum women
• Why anxiety and depression are associated with preterm delivery
• The role of husbands in attending to wives’ postpartum care needs
• What is the effectiveness of screening for postpartum depression?
• The role of resilience in dealing with mental issues after delivery
• Why marginalized women are more prone to postpartum depression
• Why failure to bond leads to mental disorders among new mothers
• Discuss how low and middle-income countries contribute to perinatal depression
• How to prevent the recurrence of postpartum mental disorders in future
• The role of anti-depression drugs in dealing with depression among new mothers
• A case study of the various healthcare interventions for perinatal anxiety and mood disorders

What Are The Hot Topics For Mental Health Research Today

• Discuss why mental health problems may be a result of a character flaw
• The impact of damaging stereotypes in mental health
• Why are many people reluctant to speak about their mental health issues?
• Why the society tends to judge people with mental issues
• Does alcohol and wasting health help one deal with a mental problem?
• Discuss the role of bullying in causing mental health disorders among students
• Why open forums in school and communities can help in curbing mental disorders
• How to build healthy relationships that can help in solving mental health issues
• Discuss frustration and lack of understanding in relationships
• The role of a stable and supportive family in preventing mental disorders
• How parents can start mental health conversations with their children
• Analyze the responsibilities of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
• The role of a positive mind in dealing with psychological problems

Good Research Topics On Refugees Mental Health

• Why do refugees find themselves under high levels of stress?
• Discuss the modalities of looking after the mental health of refugees
• Evaluate the importance of a cultural framework in helping refugees with mental illnesses
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• Discuss the implications of dangerous traditional practices
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• Practical groups and in‐group therapeutic settings for refugee camps

Adolescent Mental Health Research Topics

• Discuss why suicide is among the leading causes of death among adolescents
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• Mental effects of unsafe sexual behaviour among adolescents
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• Mental health disorders and impairment among adolescents
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• How to develop positive relationships with peers
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• How to deal with stigma among adolescents
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• Advocacy and partnerships in dealing with mental health
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• Roles and responsibilities of governments in dealing with mental health
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• What is the essence of a mental health commission?
• Benefits of mental well-being to the prosperity of a country
• Necessary reforms to the mental health systems
• Legal frameworks for dealing with substance use disorders
• How mental health can impede the development of a country
• The role of the government in dealing with decaying mental health institutions
• Inadequate legislation in dealing with mental health problems

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• What does it mean to display strange behaviour?
• Role of mental health professionals in dealing with abnormal psychology
• Discuss the concept of dysfunction in mental illness
• How does deviance relate to mental illness?
• Role of culture and social norms
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• Using aversive treatment in abnormal psychology
• Importance of psychological debriefing
• Is addiction a mental disease?
• Use of memory-dampening drugs
• Coercive interrogations and psychology

Behavioural Health Issues In Mental Health

• Detachment from reality
• Inability to withstand daily problems
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• Role of therapy in behavioural disorders
• Eating and drinking habits and mental health
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• Discuss mental implications of gambling and sex addiction
• Impact of maladaptive behaviours on the society
• Extreme mood changes
• Confused thinking
• Role of friends in behavioural complications
• Spiritual leaders in helping deal with behavioural issues
• Suicidal thoughts

Latest Psychology Research Topics

• Discrimination and prejudice in a society
• Impact of negative social cognition
• Role of personal perceptions
• How attitudes affect mental well-being
• Effects of cults on cognitive behaviour
• Marketing and psychology
• How romance can distort normal cognitive functioning
• Why people with pro-social behaviour may be less affected
• Leadership and mental health
• Discuss how to deal with anti-social personality disorders
• Coping with phobias in school
• The role of group therapy
• Impact of dreams on one’s psychological behaviour

Professional Psychiatry Research Topics

• The part of false memories
• Media and stress disorders
• Impact of gender roles
• Role of parenting styles
• Age and psychology
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• Career paths in psychology
• Dissociative disorders
• Dealing with paranoia
• Delusions and their remedy
• A distorted perception of reality
• Rights of mental caregivers
• Dealing with a loss
• Handling a break-up

Consider using our expert research paper writing services for your mental health paper today. Satisfaction is guaranteed!

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Mental Health, Suicidality, and Connectedness Among High School Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic — Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey, United States, January–June 2021

Supplements / April 1, 2022 / 71(3);16–21

Sherry Everett Jones, PhD 1 ; Kathleen A. Ethier, PhD 1 ; Marci Hertz, MS 1 ; Sarah DeGue, PhD 2 ; Vi Donna Le, PhD 2 ; Jemekia Thornton, MPA 1 ; Connie Lim, MPA 1 ; Patricia J Dittus, PhD 1 ; Sindhura Geda, MS 3 ( View author affiliations )

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Introduction, limitations.

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Disruptions and consequences related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including school closures, social isolation, family economic hardship, family loss or illness, and reduced access to health care, raise concerns about their effects on the mental health and well-being of youths. This report uses data from the 2021 Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey, an online survey of a probability-based, nationally representative sample of U.S. public- and private-school students in grades 9–12 (N = 7,705), to assess U.S. high school students’ mental health and suicidality during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also examines whether mental health and suicidality are associated with feeling close to persons at school and being virtually connected to others during the pandemic. Overall, 37.1% of students experienced poor mental health during the pandemic, and 31.1% experienced poor mental health during the preceding 30 days. In addition, during the 12 months before the survey, 44.2% experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, 19.9% had seriously considered attempting suicide, and 9.0% had attempted suicide. Compared with those who did not feel close to persons at school, students who felt close to persons at school had a significantly lower prevalence of poor mental health during the pandemic (28.4% versus 45.2%) and during the past 30 days (23.5% versus 37.8%), persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness (35.4% versus 52.9%), having seriously considered attempting suicide (14.0% versus 25.6%), and having attempted suicide (5.8% versus 11.9%). The same pattern was observed among students who were virtually connected to others during the pandemic (i.e., with family, friends, or other groups by using a computer, telephone, or other device) versus those who were not. Comprehensive strategies that improve feelings of connectedness with others in the family, in the community, and at school might foster improved mental health among youths during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emerging data suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the mental health of many children and adolescents ( 1 ). Before the pandemic, youth mental health was already an important public health concern ( 2 , 3 ). For example, among high school students nationwide, significant increases occurred between 2009 and 2019 in having persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness (26.1% to 36.7%), having seriously considered attempting suicide (13.8% to 18.8%), and having attempted suicide (6.3% to 8.9%) ( 2 ). For many youths during the pandemic, mental health was affected by school closures, social isolation, family economic hardship, fear of family loss or illness, and reduced access to health care because of inadequate insurance coverage or medical office closures and reduced hours ( 1 ). Two longitudinal studies on adolescent mental health during the pandemic found increases in depression and anxiety over the course of the pandemic ( 4 , 5 ). In one study, these symptoms were predicted by COVID-19–related worries, online learning difficulties, and increased conflict with parents ( 4 ). In another study, emergency department visits for suspected suicide were 50.6% higher among girls and 3.7% higher among boys from February through March 2021 than during the same period in 2019 ( 6 ). To understand the impact of COVID-19 on youth mental health and to identify potential protective factors, this study examines U.S. high school students’ mental health and suicidality during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the relation between mental health and connectedness to school, family, friends, and community groups. Public health and health care professionals, communities, schools, families, and adolescents can use these findings to better understand students’ mental health and suicidal thoughts and attempts during the pandemic and how fostering connectedness at school and with others could be one strategy to promote adolescent health and well-being during the pandemic and beyond.

Data Source

This report includes data from the Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES), which was conducted by CDC during January–June 2021 to assess student behaviors and experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. ABES was a one-time, probability-based online survey of U.S. high school students. ABES used a stratified, three-stage cluster sampling approach to obtain a nationally representative sample of public- and private-school students in grades 9–12 in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia (N = 7,705). Participation in ABES was voluntary; each school and teacher decided whether students completed the survey during instructional time or on their own time. Additional information about ABES sampling, data collection, response rates, and processing is available in the overview report of this supplement ( 7 ). The ABES questionnaire, datasets, and documentation are available at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/abes.htm .

This analysis included seven measures: 1) poor mental health during the pandemic, 2) poor mental health during the past 30 days, 3) persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness during the past 12 months, 4) serious consideration of attempting suicide during the past year, 5) attempted suicide during the past year, 6) feeling close to persons at school (time frame not specified), and 7) being virtually connected to others during the pandemic ( Table 1 ). For the pandemic-related questions, the time frame was not further specified. In addition, the following demographic characteristics were analyzed: sex, sexual identity (heterosexual; gay, lesbian, or bisexual; or other or questioning), and race and ethnicity (non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native [AI/AN], non-Hispanic Asian [Asian], non-Hispanic Black [Black], Hispanic or Latino [Hispanic], non-Hispanic persons of multiple races [multiracial], non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and non-Hispanic White [White]).

Weighted prevalence estimates and 95% CIs were calculated for all study variables among students overall and by demographic characteristics. Statistically significant pairwise differences for the study variables by demographic characteristics, and for associations between mental health, suicidality, and connectedness, were determined by t -tests for proportions. Analyses were completed using SUDAAN (version 11.0.3; RTI International) to account for the complex survey design and weighting. Differences were considered statistically significant if the p value was <0.05. Only significant results are presented in the text.

Poor Mental Health

Approximately one in three high school students experienced poor mental health (most of the time or always) during the COVID-19 pandemic (37.1%) and during the past 30 days (31.1%) ( Table 2 ). During the 12 months before the survey, 44.2% experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness; that is, had ever felt so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a row that they stopped doing some usual activities.

The prevalence of poor mental health during the pandemic, poor mental health during the past 30 days and persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness were higher among female than male students (Table 2). Although differences by race and ethnicity were detected for each of these three variables, no consistent patterns were found. The prevalence of poor mental health during the pandemic was higher among gay, lesbian, or bisexual students and other or questioning students than among heterosexual students. The prevalence of poor mental health during the past 30 days and of persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness was highest among gay, lesbian, or bisexual students, followed by other or questioning students. Heterosexual students had the lowest prevalence.

Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors

During the 12 months before the survey, 19.9% of students had seriously considered attempting suicide, and 9.0% had attempted suicide. The prevalence of having seriously considered attempting suicide and attempting suicide was higher among female students than male students and varied by race and ethnicity. The prevalence of having seriously considered attempting suicide was higher among White students than Black or Asian students and higher among multiracial students than Black students. The prevalence of having attempted suicide was higher among AI/AN students than White, Black, Hispanic, or Asian students. The prevalence of having seriously considered attempting suicide and attempted suicide was highest among gay, lesbian, or bisexual students, followed by other or questioning students. Heterosexual students had the lowest prevalence.

Connectedness

At the time of the survey, 46.6% of students strongly agreed or agreed that they felt close to persons at school. In contrast, 71.8% of students sometimes, most of the time, or always spent time virtually (i.e., by using a computer, telephone, or other device) with family, friends, or others during the pandemic. The prevalence of feeling close to persons at school was higher among male students than female students. Being virtually connected to others during the pandemic did not vary by sex. The prevalence of feeling close to persons at school and being virtually connected to others varied by race and ethnicity. The prevalence of feeling close to persons at school was higher among White students than Black, Hispanic, and Asian students; higher among Hispanic, Asian, AI/AN, and multiracial students than Black students; and higher among multiracial students than Hispanic students. The prevalence of being virtually connected to others was higher among White students than Black and Hispanic students. The prevalence of feeling close to persons at school was higher among heterosexual students than gay, lesbian, or bisexual students and other or questioning students; however, being virtually connected to others during the pandemic did not vary by sexual identity.

Connectedness and Mental Health

Compared with those who did not feel close to persons at school, students who felt close to persons at school had a lower prevalence of poor mental health during the pandemic (28.4% versus 45.2%) and during the past 30 days (23.5% versus 37.8%), of persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness (35.4% versus 52.9%), of having seriously considered attempting suicide (14.0% versus 25.6%), and of having attempted suicide (5.8% versus 11.9%) ( Figure ). Similarly, students who were virtually connected to others during the pandemic had a lower prevalence of poor mental health during the pandemic (35.5% versus 42.0%) and during the past 30 days (28.7% versus 36.8%), of persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness (41.9% versus 51.7%), of having seriously considered attempting suicide (18.4 versus 24.9%), and of having attempted suicide (8.0% versus 12.2%) compared with those who were not virtually connected to others during the pandemic.

More than one in three high school students (37.1%) experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, 44.2% of students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, almost 20% seriously considered suicide, and 9.0% attempted suicide during the 12 months before the survey. The prevalence of poor mental health and suicidality was high across students of all sex, sexual identity, and racial and ethnic groups; however, poor mental health, persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors were less prevalent among those who felt close to persons at school and were virtually connected with others during the pandemic.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, students’ feelings of being connected to school were likely reduced by extensive school closures and transitions to virtual learning ( 8 ). Efforts to improve connectedness to schools, peers, and family are critical to protecting the mental health and well-being of youths ( 9 ), particularly in the context of ongoing pandemic-related stressors. Evidence from previous outbreaks suggests that the pandemic might have long-term consequences for youth mental health and well-being and be associated with potential increases in youth depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, which underscores the urgent need to address mental health needs among youths ( 10 ).

In addition to providing youths with access to needed mental health care ( 11 ), comprehensive approaches that promote help-seeking behaviors, connections to trusted adults and supportive peers, and engagement in community activities have been shown to have many benefits including improved feelings of connectedness, better mental health, reduced risk for suicide, reduced prevalence of health risk behaviors, and better academic achievement ( 9 , 12 ). Positive experiences during childhood, including school connectedness, can build resilience and protect or buffer adults who have experienced multiple childhood traumas ( 13 ).

To foster school connectedness and promote positive school climates, school districts can implement schoolwide programs such as those focused on social and emotional learning, professional development for staff to improve classroom management, and strategies to foster relationships between students, their families, and school staff. Another way to foster school connectedness and promote positive school climates is for school districts to analyze school disciplinary policies to ensure they are being implemented equitably across racial and ethnic groups ( 9 , 14 , 15 ). In addition to engaging with their child’s school, parents and caregivers can build relationships with their child through open discussions and shared activities ( 15 ).

General limitations to ABES are outlined in the overview report in this supplement ( 7 ). The findings in this report are subject to at least four specific limitations. First, the mental health and suicidality variables used in this study are important indicators of students’ mental well-being; however, the questions were not designed to diagnose clinical depression. Second, most students were virtually connected to others, such as family, friends, or other groups, during the pandemic. Among students who were never or rarely virtually connected, it is unknown if that was a function of more in-person interactions; individual choice; a lack of family, friends, or other groups with whom students could be connected; or a lack of access to the technology needed by the student or others with whom the student would connect. Third, the survey did not ask students to indicate whether, at the time of the survey or in weeks or months preceding the survey, they attended school in person, remotely, or both in person and remotely. Students’ method of attendance might be a confounder for the findings related to students’ feeling of connectedness. Finally, because this was a one-time survey, no longitudinal data from studies using the same data collection methods are available to directly compare pre- and postpandemic mental health status among youths.

Mental health issues among youths are an important public health concern during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, the findings in this report also indicate that poor mental health, persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors were less prevalent among those who felt close to persons at school and were virtually connected with others during the pandemic. Comprehensive strategies that improve connections with others at home, in the community, and at school might foster improved mental health among youths during and after the pandemic.

Corresponding author: Sherry Everett Jones, PhD, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, CDC. Telephone: 404-718-8288; Email: [email protected] .

1 Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, CDC; 2 Division of Violence Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC; 3 ICF International, Rockville, Maryland

Conflicts of Interest

All authors have completed and submitted the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors form for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

• Panchal N, Kamal R, Cox C, Garfield R, Chidambaram P. Issue brief: mental health and substance use considerations among children during the COVID-19 pandemic. San Francisco, CA: KFF; 2021. https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/mental-health-and-substance-use-considerations-among-children-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/ external icon
• CDC. Youth Risk Behavior Survey: data summary and trends report 2009–2019. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/YRBSDataSummaryTrendsReport2019-508.pdf pdf icon
• Bitsko RH, Claussen AH, Lichstein J, et al. Mental health surveillance among children—United States, 2013–2019. MMWR Suppl 71(No. Suppl 2):1–42. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/su/su7102a1.htm?s_cid=su7102a1_w PMID:35202359 external icon
• Zhang L, Zhang D, Fang J, Wan Y, Tao F, Sun Y. Assessment of mental health of Chinese primary school students before and after school closing and opening during the COVID-19 pandemic. JAMA Netw Open 2020;3:e2021482. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.21482 external icon PMID:32915233 external icon
• Magson NR, Freeman JYA, Rapee RM, Richardson CE, Oar EL, Fardouly J. Risk and protective factors for prospective changes in adolescent mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Youth Adolesc 2021;50:44–57. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-020-01332-9 external icon PMID:33108542 external icon
• Yard E, Radhakrishnan L, Ballesteros MF, et al. Emergency department visits for suspected suicide attempts among persons aged 12–25 years before and during the COVID-19 pandemic—United States, January 2019–May 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021;70:888–94. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7024e1 external icon PMID:34138833 external icon
• Rico A, Brener N, Thornton J, et al. Overview and methodology of the Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey—United States, January–June 2021. In: CDC. Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey—United States, January–June 2021. MMWR Suppl 2022;71(No. Suppl 3):1–7.
• Hertz MF, Kilmer G, Verlenden J, et al. Adolescent mental health, connectedness, and mode of school instruction during COVID-19. J Adolesc Health 2022;70:57–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.10.021 external icon PMID:34930571 external icon
• Stone D, Holland K, Bartholow B, Crosby A, Davis S, Wilkins N. Preventing suicide: a technical package of policy, programs, and practices. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2017. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/suicidetechnicalpackage.pdf pdf icon
• Meherali S, Punjani N, Louie-Poon S, et al. Mental health of children and adolescents amidst COVID-19 and past pandemics: a rapid systematic review. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021;18:3432. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073432 external icon PMID:33810225 external icon
• Whitney DG, Peterson MD. US national and state-level prevalence of mental health disorders and disparities of mental health care use in children. JAMA Pediatr 2019;173:389–91. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.5399 external icon PMID:30742204 external icon
• Steiner RJ, Sheremenko G, Lesesne C, Dittus PJ, Sieving RE, Ethier KA. Adolescent connectedness and adult health outcomes. Pediatrics 2019;144:e20183766. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2018-3766 external icon PMID:31235609 external icon
• Bethell C, Jones J, Gombojav N, Linkenbach J, Sege R. Positive childhood experiences and adult mental and relational health in a statewide sample: associations across adverse childhood experiences levels. JAMA Pediatr 2019;173:e193007. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.3007 external icon PMID:31498386 external icon
• McNeely CA, Nonnemaker JM, Blum RW. Promoting school connectedness: evidence from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. J Sch Health 2002;72:138–46. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2002.tb06533.x external icon PMID:12029810 external icon
• CDC. Adolescent connectedness. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/protective/youth-connectedness-important-protective-factor-for-health-well-being.htm

Abbreviations: AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native; NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. * Refer to Table 1 for variable definitions. † All percentages are weighted. § Significantly different from male students, based on t -test analysis (p<0.05). ¶ Significantly different from Hispanic students, based on t -test analysis (p<0.05). ** Significantly different from non-Hispanic multiracial students, based on t -test analysis (p<0.05). †† Significantly different from non-Hispanic White students, based on t -test analysis (p<0.05). §§ Results suppressed because n<30. ¶¶ Significantly different from non-Hispanic Asian students, based on t -test analysis (p<0.05). *** Significantly different from non-Hispanic Black students, based on t -test analysis (p<0.05). ††† Significantly different from heterosexual students, based on t -test analysis (p<0.05). §§§ Significantly different from other or questioning students based on t -test analysis (p<0.05).

FIGURE . Persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, perceptions of mental health, and suicidal thoughts and attempts among high school students during the COVID-19 pandemic, by feeling close to persons at school* and being virtually connected † — Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey, United States, January–June 2021

* All comparisons of having felt close versus not sure, disagree, or strongly disagree they felt close were significantly different, based on t -test analysis (p<0.05).

† All comparisons of being connected versus never or rarely felt connected were significantly different, based on t -test analysis (p<0.05).

Suggested citation for this article: Jones SE, Ethier KA, Hertz M, et al. Mental Health, Suicidality, and Connectedness Among High School Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic — Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey, United States, January–June 2021. MMWR Suppl 2022;71(Suppl-3):16–21. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.su7103a3 external icon .

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10 Mental Health Resources for High School Students

What’s covered:, you are not alone, stop the stigma, 10 mental health resources for teens.

• College Admissions & Mental Health
• Prioritize Schools that Prioritize Student Mental Health

Everyone faces different struggles throughout their lives, but struggling as a teenager can be particularly difficult. Often, students don’t have the coping skills, resources, or support systems that adults in their position might be able to rely on. It’s okay to ask for help. These programs exist because a lot of adolescents need them worldwide. 

Statistics from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the nations’ largest grassroots mental health organization, confirm that mental health concerns are widespread, especially among teenagers and young adults. 

Recent figures provided by NAMI state that in 2020, one in six adolescents aged 12 – 17 experienced a major depressive episode. One in three young adults aged 18 – 25 experienced a mental illness.  One in five adults experienced a mental illness, with one in twenty a serious one. 

Unfortunately, only about half of people at any age seek help. Why? The simple answer: stigma. How bizarre is it that we feel compelled to hide mental health challenges when they are so prevalent? Fortunately, society is changing, and you can be part of the change.  Reach out to trusted adults in your community, school, or family to get support during a tough time or chronic situation and to find local resources, or check out the resources below.  

1. The National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI)

This program offers online resources specifically for teens, including a hotline you can call 800-950-NAMI for someone to talk to or, if you are in crisis, text NAMI to 741741.  The teen section of the website is a great place to start or continue your wellness journey. Read tips on how to talk to friends and family, to explore social media’s impact on your mental health, and more. 

2. NAMI Ending the Silence

Many school systems and organizations offer NAMI’s free 50-minute mental health program designed specifically to help middle and high school students recognize warning signs, understand mental health conditions, and find resources for help. (NAMI also offers Ending the Silence For Families, a 1-hour presentation for adults.) You can search by zip code for programs near you .  

3. Mental Health First Aid for Teens (tMHFA)

This multi-session program was developed  in partnership with Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation for students in grades 10 – 12. The program seeks to help students identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among their friends and peers, including the impact of school violence and bullying. Search by zip code for programs near you , which are offered both in-person and virtually.

4. Teen Talk App

This app is a free, anonymous, safe space for teens 13 – 19 to request support from peers and learn from others with similar experiences. Trained teens and their supervisors are available live from 5 pm – 10pm PT. Teens can post on the app 24 hours a day and will receive a response when advisors come online. They can also read what other teens are experiencing and the support they received. It is downloadable  on iOS and Android devices.

5. Mental Health America

Mental Health America is a national nonprofit dedicated to improving mental health, wellbeing, and illness prevention nationwide. Resources on this site include information about conditions, crisis and treatment resources, and information that could help you or a loved one you’re worried about. Best of all, there are ways to get involved with MHA and their mission, through their Young Leaders program or the Youth Policy Accelerator. 

6. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA)

SAMHSA is an agency within the US Department of Health and Human Services, and is on the front line of the mental health and substance use crisis in the USA. On their website, students can find resources to seek help for themselves or loved ones, in the form of several different crisis hotlines, warmlines, and textlines. SAMHSA runs dozens of programs aimed at addressing mental health and substance use struggles in communities nationwide. Students struggling with a wide variety of issues may find useful resources and ways to get involved in the government’s campaign to promote mental health. 

7. The Trevor Project

An organization started to help improve mental health outcomes for LGBTQ+ teens, the Trevor Project is chock-full of research, resources, and information on a variety of LGBTQ+ topics. Their confidential free helpline is available as a phone, text, and computer chat option, and for LGBTQ+ teens that aren’t in crisis, they offer TrevorSpace, an online safe space for LGBTQ+ young people looking to connect and support each other. 

8. The Steve Fund

For young people of color making the transition from high school to college, the Steve Fund is a valuable resource that partners with universities, nonprofits, and mental health experts to promote wellbeing and mental wellness. From providing reports on equity in mental healthcare, to running a dedicated textline for young people of color, to publishing articles and resources for struggling youth of color, the Steve Fund seeks to help promote equity and wellness however they can. 

9. We R Native

For Native youth looking for community resources, support, and connection, We R Native is an excellent place to start. Along with information about Native culture, this website provides articles about physical health, mental health, and dealing with any number of issues that may face Native adolescents. A variety of different text lines are available for everything from crisis support to information about becoming a healer. For youth looking to get involved, the Native Ambassador program could be a great way to bring these resources into your community. 

10. Bamidbar

Founded in 2016 out of a Jewish adventure therapy program, Bamidbar focuses on creating a community that supports Jewish adults and teenagers struggling with mental health concerns. The organization focuses primarily on community education and professional development, as well as offering adventure therapy. 

11. Read Don’t Tell Me to Relax !

Read Amazon best-selling title written by a high-achieving teen, Sophie Riegel, who struggled with obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic attacks, self-harm, and anxiety in middle and high school. Through therapy, medication, and family support, Sophie found inner strength, hope, and happiness and is now thriving in the class of ’23 at Duke University.  

If you love to read but this book doesn’t seem like exactly what you need, consider looking around online for other options. Memoirs, self-help books, and even fiction with characters you can relate to can all help you feel understood and seen. 

College Admissions & Mental Health 

You may be questioning if and where you should disclose your mental health challenges and/or experiences in your college application and/or interview. While colleges are prohibited from discriminating against students with mental health issues, remember you do not have to disclose any information that you do not think enhance your candidacy. (This is the case not only for mental health but also for academic, extracurricular, employment, and other experiences.)

At the same time, do not feel stigmatized from addressing mental health challenges. Simply present this information in a positive light if it is an integral part of your story.  For example, you can write about any transformative experiences that have helped you grow and would make you an asset to the college community, and for some students their struggle with mental health is exactly that kind of experience.  

Prioritize Schools that Prioritize Student Mental Health 

As you investigate colleges for your list, check for university-led services, policies that lessen pressure (such as pass/fail options and self-scheduled final exams), multiple available advisor-advisee relationships, peer-group organizations for mental health, and overall campus vibe/culture.  

Use CollegeVine’s school exploration tool to keep yourself organized and on track.

Thanks to Brett Lubarsky, Director, Jewish Teen Initiative at Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston for identifying some of the resources above.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Study Tracks Shifts in Student Mental Health During College

Dartmouth study followed 200 students all four years, including through the pandemic.

Phone App Uses AI to Detect Depression From Facial Cues

A four-year study by Dartmouth researchers captures the most in-depth data yet on how college students’ self-esteem and mental health fluctuates during their four years in academia, identifying key populations and stressors that the researchers say administrators could target to improve student well-being. 

The study also provides among the first real-time accounts of how the coronavirus pandemic affected students’ behavior and mental health. The stress and uncertainty of COVID-19 resulted in long-lasting behavioral changes that persisted as a “new normal” even as the pandemic diminished, including students feeling more stressed, less socially engaged, and sleeping more.

The researchers tracked more than 200 Dartmouth undergraduates in the classes of 2021 and 2022 for all four years of college. Students volunteered to let a specially developed app called StudentLife tap into the sensors that are built into smartphones. The app cataloged their daily physical and social activity, how long they slept, their location and travel, the time they spent on their phone, and how often they listened to music or watched videos. Students also filled out weekly behavioral surveys, and selected students gave post-study interviews. 

The study—which is the longest mobile-sensing study ever conducted—is published in the Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies .

The researchers will present it at the Association of Computing Machinery’s UbiComp/ISWC 2024 conference in Melbourne, Australia, in October. 

These sorts of tools will have a tremendous impact on projecting forward and developing much more data-driven ways to intervene and respond exactly when students need it most.

The team made their anonymized data set publicly available —including self-reports, surveys, and phone-sensing and brain-imaging data—to help advance research into the mental health of students during their college years. 

Andrew Campbell , the paper’s senior author and Dartmouth’s Albert Bradley 1915 Third Century Professor of Computer Science, says that the study’s extensive data reinforces the importance of college and university administrators across the country being more attuned to how and when students’ mental well-being changes during the school year.

“For the first time, we’ve produced granular data about the ebb and flow of student mental health. It’s incredibly dynamic—there’s nothing that’s steady state through the term, let alone through the year,” he says. “These sorts of tools will have a tremendous impact on projecting forward and developing much more data-driven ways to intervene and respond exactly when students need it most.”

First-year and female students are especially at risk for high anxiety and low self-esteem, the study finds. Among first-year students, self-esteem dropped to its lowest point in the first weeks of their transition from high school to college but rose steadily every semester until it was about 10% higher by graduation.

“We can see that students came out of high school with a certain level of self-esteem that dropped off to the lowest point of the four years. Some said they started to experience ‘imposter syndrome’ from being around other high-performing students,” Campbell says. “As the years progress, though, we can draw a straight line from low to high as their self-esteem improves. I think we would see a similar trend class over class. To me, that’s a very positive thing.”

Female students—who made up 60% of study participants—experienced on average 5% greater stress levels and 10% lower self-esteem than male students. More significantly, the data show that female students tended to be less active, with male students walking 37% more often.

Sophomores were 40% more socially active compared to their first year, the researchers report. But these students also reported feeling 13% more stressed during their second year than during their first year as their workload increased, they felt pressure to socialize, or as first-year social groups dispersed.

One student in a sorority recalled that having pre-arranged activities “kind of adds stress as I feel like I should be having fun because everyone tells me that it is fun.” Another student noted that after the first year, “students have more access to the whole campus and that is when you start feeling excluded from things.” 

In a novel finding, the researchers identify an “anticipatory stress spike” of 17% experienced in the last two weeks of summer break. While still lower than mid-academic year stress, the spike was consistent across different summers.

In post-study interviews, some students pointed to returning to campus early for team sports as a source of stress. Others specified reconnecting with family and high school friends during their first summer home, saying they felt “a sense of leaving behind the comfort and familiarity of these long-standing friendships” as the break ended, the researchers report. 

“This is a foundational study,” says Subigya Nepal , first author of the study and a PhD candidate in Campbell’s research group. “It has more real-time granular data than anything we or anyone else has provided before. We don’t know yet how it will translate to campuses nationwide, but it can be a template for getting the conversation going.”

The depth and accuracy of the study data suggest that mobile-sensing software could eventually give universities the ability to create proactive mental-health policies specific to certain student populations and times of year, Campbell says.

For example, a paper Campbell’s research group published in 2022 based on StudentLife data showed that first-generation students experienced lower self-esteem and higher levels of depression than other students throughout their four years of college.

“We will be able to look at campus in much more nuanced ways than waiting for the results of an annual mental health study and then developing policy,” Campbell says. “We know that Dartmouth is a small and very tight-knit campus community. But if we applied these same methods to a college with similar attributes, I believe we would find very similar trends.”

Weathering the pandemic

When students returned home at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the researchers found that self-esteem actually increased during the pandemic by 5% overall and by another 6% afterward when life returned closer to what it was before. One student suggested in their interview that getting older came with more confidence. Others indicated that being home led to them spending more time with friends talking on the phone, on social media, or streaming movies together. 

The data show that phone usage—measured by the duration a phone was unlocked—indeed increased by nearly 33 minutes, or 19%, during the pandemic, while time spent in physical activity dropped by 52 minutes, or 27%. By 2022, phone usage fell from its pandemic peak to just above pre-pandemic levels, while engagement in physical activity had recovered to exceed the pre-pandemic period by three minutes. 

Despite reporting higher self-esteem, students’ feelings of stress increased by more than 10% during the pandemic. By the end of the study in June 2022, stress had fallen by less than 2% of its pandemic peak, indicating that the experience had a lasting impact on student well-being, the researchers report. 

In early 2021, as students returned to campus, their reunion with friends and community was tempered by an overwhelming concern about the still-rampant coronavirus. “There was the first outbreak in winter 2021 and that was terrifying,” one student recalls. Another student adds: “You could be put into isolation for a long time even if you did not have COVID. Everyone was afraid to contact-trace anyone else in case they got mad at each other.”

Female students were especially concerned about the coronavirus, on average 13% more than male students. “Even though the girls might have been hanging out with each other more, they are more aware of the impact,” one female student reported. “I actually had COVID and exposed some friends of mine. All the girls that I told tested as they were worried. They were continually checking up to make sure that they did not have it and take it home to their family.”

Students still learning remotely had social levels 16% higher than students on campus, who engaged in activity an average of 10% less often than when they were learning from home. However, on-campus students used their phones 47% more often. When interviewed after the study, these students reported spending extended periods of time video-calling or streaming movies with friends and family.

Social activity and engagement had not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels by the end of the study in June 2022, recovering by a little less than 3% after a nearly 10% drop during the pandemic. Similarly, the pandemic correlates with students sticking closer to home, with their distance traveled nearly cut in half during the pandemic and holding at that level since then.

Campbell and several of his fellow researchers are now developing a smartphone app known as MoodCapture that uses artificial intelligence paired with facial-image processing software to reliably detect the onset of depression before the user even knows something is wrong.

Morgan Kelly can be reached at [email protected] .

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• Innovation and Impact
• Arts and Sciences
• Class of 2021
• Class of 2022
• Department of Computer Science
• Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies
• Mental Health

Views From the Green: March 2024

The idea of geoengineering is to reverse climate impacts caused by CO2 emissions. There are two ways to do it: One is to reduce the amount of solar radiation coming to the earth; the other is to remove the CO2 itself.

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When Teens Visit Doctors, Increasingly the Subject is Mental Health

By Matt Richtel

Increasingly, doctor visits by adolescents and young adults involve mental health diagnoses, along with the prescription of psychiatric medications.

That was the conclusion of a new study that found that in 2019, 17 percent of outpatient doctor visits for patients ages 13 to 24 in the United States involved a behavioral or mental health condition, including anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, self-harm or other issues. That figure rose sharply from 2006, when just 9 percent of doctor’s visits involved psychiatric illnesses.

The study , published Thursday in JAMA Network Open, also found a sharp increase in the proportion of visits involving psychiatric medications. In 2019, 22.4 percent of outpatient visits by the 13-24 age group involved the prescription of at least one psychiatric drug, up from 13 percent in 2006.

The Big Picture

The study is the latest evidence in a shift in the kinds of ailments affecting children, adolescents and young adults. For many decades, their health care visits involved more bodily ailments, such as broken bones, viruses and drunken-driving injuries. Increasingly, however, doctors are seeing a wide variety of behavioral and mental health issues.

The reasons are not entirely clear. Some experts have said that modern life presents a new kind of mental pressure, even as society has limited the risks of physical ailments.

The latest study does not posit a reason for the shift. But the pandemic alone was not to blame, it noted. “These findings suggest the increase in mental health conditions seen among youth during the pandemic occurred in the setting of already increasing rates of psychiatric illness,” wrote the authors, a pediatrician and psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School. “Treatment and prevention strategies will need to account for factors beyond the direct and indirect effects of the pandemic.”

The Numbers

The analysis was drawn from the National Ambulatory Care Survey, which asks a sample of clinicians from across the country about the reasons for patient visits. Between 2006 and 2019, patients aged 13 to 24 made 1.1 billion health care visits, of which 145 million involved mental health issues. But the share of mental-health-related visits rose each year, the study found, as did the prescription of psychiatric medications, including stimulants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers and anti-anxiety drugs.

The study found that antidepressants had the greatest increase, but it did not specify the exact level, said Dr. Florence T. Bourgeois, a pediatrician at Boston Children’s Hospital, an associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and a co-author of the paper.

The prescription patterns leave an open question, she said.

“We can’t differentiate whether this speaks to the severity of conditions or changes in prescribing attitudes and trends,” she said. Either way, she added, “We are treating these conditions aggressively.”

Matt Richtel is a health and science reporter for The Times, based in Boulder, Colo. More about Matt Richtel

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University students are at risk of depression – could peer-led interventions help, and if so, how?

Mental health problems like depression are common among university students. This research team will design, deliver and evaluate low-cost, peer-led interventions that could improve student mental health in India and beyond.

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Around 280 million people worldwide are living with depression. It can affect people of all ages and research has shown university students have high rates of mental health problems .

Depression can impact all aspects of a student’s life – from academic studies to work to relationships. It often occurs alongside other mental health problems, especially anxiety, and can also increase the risk of self-harm and suicide.

Yet, there is a lack of effective interventions to help young people.

“Existing university support systems are struggling to address the student mental health burden. This challenge is especially stark in low- and middle-income countries,” says Dr Daniel Michelson, a Clinical Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London. 

“Without timely and effective support, students with depression are more likely to underachieve academically, dropout prematurely and suffer restricted life chances in the longer-term,” he continues.

Daniel is leading a research team that wants to close this research gap and find better ways to intervene early. To do so, they want to test components of existing effective mental health interventions and find out if and how they work, and why.

He’s working on a Wellcome-funded programme called METROPOLIS (Mechanistic Trial of Problem Solving and Behavioural Activation for Depression) . It builds on a previous seven-year research project funded by Wellcome, called PRIDE (Premium for Adolescents) , which developed and evaluated a suite of low-cost mental health interventions for adolescents in secondary schools in India.

PRIDE took a ‘stepped care’ approach, offering treatment in stages. In step one, the team delivered a problem-solving intervention to young people with a variety of mental health problems. Therapeutic modules were then made available in step two for participants who did not respond to the first step. Both steps were provided by lay counsellors, trained individuals without formal qualifications in counselling.

The results showed that step one alone was able to reduce the stressful problems experienced by adolescents and had long-term effects on mental health symptoms up to one year later.

Now, the research team behind METROPOLIS wants to extend this evidence for students in university.

“Most psychological interventions tend to package together several components that have the potential to drive clinical effect. This increases complexity and resource demands, without necessarily leading to better outcomes,” explains Daniel.

METROPOLIS will explore the effects of peer-delivered problem solving and behavioural activation – two strategies found to help improve symptoms of mental health problems – as standalone early interventions for young people with depression.

"By paring down interventions, we want to simplify delivery, reduce costs and minimise unnecessary burden for students who take part in the study,” says Daniel.

What is problem solving and behavioural activation?

Dr Pattie Gonsalves, a youth mental health researcher at non-profit Sangath and METROPOLIS co-investigator from New Delhi, explains how problem solving and behavioural activation are used as mental health interventions.

“ Problem solving addresses issues related to life stressors such as problems in relationships and academic pressures. Participants learn a structured process that entails identifying and prioritising current problems, coming up with different ways of responding to the problems, then trying out potential solutions and monitoring the results.

“ Behavioural activation is the idea that people can activate more positive emotional states by increasing sources of reward in their everyday lives. This involves helping people to spend more time doing activities that are enjoyable or provide a sense of achievement, connection or closeness. Such activities are typically reduced when people feel depressed, which can lead to a vicious cycle of inactivity and low mood.

“The two interventions share a focus on behaviour change and are often packaged together. We want to understand them as individual interventions and study whether one has any advantages over the other. It's an opportunity to learn how they work, in what circumstances and for whom."

What will the research involve?  

In a large randomised controlled trial, the team will test how problem solving and behavioural activation improve symptoms of depression. They will compare the two interventions against each other, as well as against a control group that receives support to improve their study skills. To assess the impact of the trial, the team will measure self-reported depression, anxiety and social functioning at six weeks, six months and one year.

The team will also use questionnaires and interviews with participants to better understand the processes through which the interventions actually drive change. Some potential drivers could be a person’s access to rewarding environmental activities, how they perceive and deal with stressful situations, and changes in hopefulness.

These findings can then inform how future interventions are developed, for example by suggesting ways to tailor support to an individual’s specific needs.

This research approach, which takes components of existing effective interventions and tests what makes them effective, is called ‘back translation’.

If proven to be effective, these interventions could help to address the unmet needs of students and strengthen mental health care on university campuses.

The role of peer support in mental health  

The METROPOLIS study will take place in India, home to one-fifth of the world’s population of young people, and host to the largest population of university students in the world. With plans to recruit over 700 undergraduates, it could be one of the largest youth mental health trials in any low- or middle-income country.

“ In India, there is less than one mental health specialist for every 100,000 people and finding help if you are a young person is even more challenging, especially for students from socially marginalised groups,” explains Dr Pattie Gonsalves, co-investigator of the research.

That’s why it’s so important to move away from relying on mental health specialists. METROPOLIS will do this by training and supervising peers to deliver interventions.

Many studies have already shown peer-delivered mental health support to be effective.

“We know that young people experiencing depression may be reluctant to seek a formal support service, even when there is one available,” says Pattie.

“They are much more likely to disclose mental health problems to a peer or a friend. So, we want to train peers to support them." The team will recruit and train around 70 students or recent alumni to be peer counsellors.

Why are we funding this research?

We want to use a ‘back translation’ approach to investigate what makes interventions for anxiety, depression and psychosis effective. That means taking an existing effective intervention or approach and testing hypotheses using experimental methods to understand what makes it work.

Our funding is providing up to £5 million each to 12 research teams to do just that.

The goal is to inform the improvement of existing treatments and the development of new ones.

Learn more about the projects we’re funding .

Embedding lived experience to create a lasting impact  

Making sure these interventions align with the needs of students is a key priority.

To achieve this, METROPOLIS will collaborate with young people who have lived experience of mental health problems at every stage of the research – from co-design to delivery to evaluation. Recognising people’s lived experience as a source of expertise will ensure the study has a lasting impact.

Study co-investigator Hitesh Sanwal is a lived experience expert and founder and CEO of Youth for Mental Health Foundation in India. The youth-led organisation works with students from more than 50 campuses across the country. Its network of student mental health volunteers will help to raise awareness of the study and outreach through student-led groups.

The research team will work closely with a Young People’s Advisory Group to provide regular feedback on the project. They will help ensure the project is accessible to students from diverse backgrounds, including those who experience marginalisation due to their economic status, gender identity, sexuality, religion or caste.

“Traditional research models involve studies designed by mental health professionals and researchers. This can lead to some things being overlooked,” says Hitesh. “For a very long time, people with lived experience have been seen as receivers. Now is the time to change this and work together as equals.”

For Hitesh, joining the team was an easy decision.

“I first experienced mental health concerns when I was an undergraduate student,” he says. “At that time, there was not much support available. It took me more than a year to understand what it was I was experiencing and begin treatment."

METROPOLIS has the potential to close this treatment gap and speed up support for students.

"I really want young people to have access to what I could not access,” says Hitesh. “This project wants to do that, and being able to contribute to that is amazing.”

And the impacts of this study could go beyond university campuses in India.

“Effective, scalable interventions that fit with the priorities and preferences of the current generation of students in India could move the dial for youth mental health on a massive scale,” says Daniel.

Crucially, he adds: “Similar interventions could be adapted and shared with people across low-resource settings globally.”

We’re funding research to help create transformative change in early intervention for anxiety, depression and psychosis.

There are currently no open funding opportunities for Mental Health. Learn more about the funding we provide .

Daniel Michelson

Clinical Senior Lecturer

King's College London

Dr Daniel Michelson is a Clinical Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London. He also works as clinical psychologist in the UK’s National Health Service. He specialises in the development, evaluation and implementation of mental health practice innovations for underserved children, young people and families.

Daniel is the principal investigator of the METROPOLIS programme investigating the effectiveness of brief psychological interventions for university students with depression. The research is being funded through our Mental Health Award ‘Looking backwards, moving forward – understanding how interventions for anxiety, depression, and psychosis work’.

Pattie Gonsalves

Project Director, Youth Mental Health Group

Dr Pattie Gonsalves leads the Youth Mental Health Group at Sangath, a non-profit mental health research organisation in India. She brings expertise in participatory research with young people and leads research and public engagement projects on depression, anxiety and suicide prevention. Pattie is a co-investigator and leads Sangath’s contribution to the METROPOLIS programme in New Delhi, India.

Hitesh Sanwal

Founder and CEO

Youth for Mental Health

Hitesh Sanwal is the founder and CEO of Youth for Mental Health, a youth-led organisation in India that aims to support young people’s mental health and empower them to become mental health advocates. He is an expert by lived experience and co-investigator on METROPOLIS.

Related content  

How does exercise help with depression? This research team aims to find out

Experts share three changes we need to see in anxiety research

Mindfulness in schools doesn’t improve mental health. Here’s why that’s a positive

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To Help Support Their Mental Health, Students Want Schools To Make These Changes

T oday’s high school seniors have lived through a deadly pandemic , increasing rates of climate disaster, and an armed insurrection at the U.S. Capitol — all before getting their driver’s licenses. Contentious national politics, global crises, social isolation, and the personal and academic pressures of high school have fueled what U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has called the “crisis of our time:” a national mental health emergency among young people.

The American Academy of Pediatrics declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health in October 2021 due to “soaring rates of mental health challenges” amongst young patients, noting that COVID-19 exacerbated a decade-long trend of worsening mental health and suicidality in young people.

Nearly two years after their announcement, profound mental health challenges persist. A CDC report released in February found that 42% of high school students felt “so sad or hopeless almost every day for at least two weeks… that they stopped doing their usual activities.” For female and LGBTQ+-identifying students, it’s even worse: the report found that almost 60% of female students and 70% of LGBTQ students “experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.” Meanwhile, a national shortage of mental health providers, including child psychiatrists, therapists, and psychologists, has kept many young people from receiving necessary care.

Amid this crisis, school-based mental health services are a promising strategy to provide young people with mental health supports – yet many schools still struggle to adequately meet the needs of their student bodies. The Biden administration has sought to expand access to school mental health care, allocating over $42 million to develop school-based programs and expanding Medicaid support for school-provided services.

For World Mental Health Day, Teen Vogue spoke with 14 student mental health advocates in eight states about how high schools should support their student’s mental health this coming school year.

Small Changes Can Go A Long Way

Larger-scale efforts like access to care or implementing learning systems might come to mind when we think about school mental health interventions. But some students say that even small shifts like a daily conversation on mental health could make a big change.

Farrah G., a high school senior in West Des Moines, Iowa, said that normalizing mental health conversations through gestures as simple as a “five minute check-in” at the start of class can help change cultural norms around mental health. “I think that's a huge thing, because I think we all just avoid it at school because there's so much pressure to [appear] put together at school. And I think just talking about it helps everyone realize that they're not alone and that other people are going through their own mental health struggles as well,” she said.

Landon D., a high school senior in Middlebury, Indiana, likewise expressed hope for more open, understanding conversations about mental health in the coming year. “I would personally like to see [from] the teachers and administration [mental health being] talked about more,” Landon said. “That this is not something that is [just] talked about when something unfortunate happens.”

According to Dorothy Stubbe , MD, a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry in the Yale Child Study Center and medical director for the Yale Hub ACCESS-Mental Health service, this kind of open conversation can be baked into school curriculum. She proposed that a “social emotional curriculum” that discusses “mental health issues from a very early age,” teaches skills to manage emotions, and destigmatizes mental health concerns can play an important role in school mental health services.

“I think adding it to the curriculum , making it a normal aspect of coming back to school – [such as] ‘how did you do over the summer?’” Dr. Stubbe suggested. “Not just, ‘did you read your books?’ But ‘how were you feeling over the summer?’”

Structural Changes Aren’t Out of Reach

Reducing stigma through open conversation about mental health is important, but having systems in place to help people once they do open up is crucial, too. These changes, students suggested, can come as small tweaks to existing infrastructures, or complete overhauls.

Macy C., a student in Millis, Massachusetts, encouraged schools to make mental health days a reason for an excused absence from class. Daniel S., a high schooler in Bethesda, Maryland, added that schools should work to educate students about the many different structural issues that can deteriorate mental health.

“I definitely think that there is a mental health crisis among youth. I'd say some things that might be contributing to that are systemic issues that have to do with race, gender, identity, and religion,” Daniel said. “But also, things like climate change and issues that are plaguing our entire country, or the entire world. “

Joan Asarnow , PhD, clinical psychologist and professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, said that while the outside world might be stressful for students, schools should make sure they are a safe space. Schools should assess their “school environment to make sure that they don’t have an environment that is adversely affecting the kids.”

Support Services Are Crucial

Students also discussed the role of formal support services in high schools, and the importance of widely advertising such programs. Bella N., a high school senior in Gilbert, Arizona, said that having strong in-school mental health support is crucial for students whose families might not be supportive of them seeking care outside school.

Grace F., a student in Fishers, Indiana, said that she would like her school to increase the number of social workers students can access for mental health support and to advertise their services, including connecting students to external therapists.

Despite the increasing discussion of, and funding for, school mental health services, Steven Adelsheim , MD, director of the Stanford Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing noted that schools may face multiple logistical challenges in ensuring student access to mental health care, including ensuring “continuity of care” outside of school hours, having the space for mental health facilities, and administrative beliefs. “Not every school administrator believes that the role of schools is to provide health and mental health care,” he noted. “It's been great how many have been willing to do it, but we also have many administrators and school leaders that don't see that as the role and responsibility of the school.” Students may likewise hesitate to use mental health resources due to concerns over confidentiality and privacy, he said.

To fill in the gaps, schools can also advertise and partner with external mental health resources. Brendan S., a student in Phoenix, Arizona, said that his high school shares the numbers for mental health hotlines on the back of student ID cards. Brendan has worked on the establishment of mental health centers in Arizona, and encouraged schools to invest in similar spaces “where they can have students chill and just relax — even if it’s for 15 minutes from the school day, that’s really helpful and useful.”

Sienna N., a student in Germantown, Maryland, also emphasized the importance of student groups in advertising available mental health resources. “Usually kids will learn from their peers and maybe not listen to teachers, because they have that mindset — “oh, you’re not going through the same thing.” So if they hear someone going through the same struggles as them, they might listen more,” she noted.

Hannah Y., a student in Potomac, Maryland, added that school counselors occupy an important role in mental health services due to their relationships with students. “School counselors are in the most convenient position to understand where the problem is coming from because they’re directly interacting with the students,” she notes. “And they’re in a position of relative power to tell the authorities “hey, this is what we need to change.”

Some students see youth-led mental health clubs as integral to raising awareness of, and funding for, mental health services. Tabitha T. and Hannah T., founders and leaders of their school mental health club, said they hope their club’s advocacy will encourage their school to increase the number of mental health resources available.

“We don’t have an on-campus licensed psychologist, and so we don’t have a whole lot of resources that we can take advantage of,” Hannah said.

“Having this club is the first step into having more resources because people are going to see, higher-up admin are going to see – people do need this and it’s not just another club, people are actually benefiting from it and using it regularly,” Tabitha added.

Any Service Must Be Inclusive

School mental health resources should also reflect the mental health stressors faced by certain high schoolers, including LGBTQ+ youth and students of color, said Dr. Adelsheim. Schools should capitalize on the increased resources being provided to support student mental health, he added, while “build[ing] out these resources in a way that will support the diversity and needs of all of our students in schools, and particularly our marginalized populations that are often more isolated.”

“It's really important to be attentive to the fact that there may be microaggressions or many other issues that kids of color or gender diverse kids may experience that need to be checked in on,” Dr. Stubbe added.

Matthew Q., a high school junior in San Diego, California and a student board member of the San Diego School Board, noted that mental health needs may vary widely based on the conditions at individual schools and the backgrounds of their student bodies. He advised that schools “listen to your students about what they need,” and to provide the “space” for such conversations.

“That's your job as educators and leaders and administrators,” he added, “to make that happen, to listen to your students, and create an inclusive environment.”

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Why teens should treasure their friendships

by Leiden University

Adolescents with strong friendships experience fewer anxiety and depression symptoms, Ph.D. student Iris Koele discovered in her research on high school students' social relationships. "As a psychologist, I include friends in the treatment plan: who do you call when things are not going well?"

Our entire lives, friendships are important, but during adolescence, they play an all-determining role. "On the path to adulthood and independence, adolescents become increasingly independent from their families and focus more on peers," explains developmental psychologist Koele.

"In this process, the nature of friendships also changes. Young children mainly enjoy playing together with their friends. Teenagers develop a greater need for intimacy in their friendships and seek more emotional and social support from their friends."

Treasuring teen friendships

On 26 March, Koele will defend her thesis "Treasuring teen friendships," in which she investigated the role of social relationships among young people and how they influence cognitive processes and mental health. "The way adolescents learn and how they develop mentally cannot be separated from the social context. I wanted to better understand this interaction in my research

Empathy requires effort

First, Koele investigated how young people's brains respond to reward or loss, in themselves and others. Participants aged between 13 and 23 played a shooting game in the fMRI scanner. In the game, they could earn financial rewards or lose money. They were also shown the performance of their peers.

The most striking result was that a social brain region, the TPJ area, showed more activity when young people observed the outcome of an unknown peer than that of a friend. This social brain region is involved in empathizing with the intentions and perspective of others, a process known as "mentalizing" in psychology. "During this mentalizing process, it's possible that these participants had to exert more effort with unknown peers than with friends, leading to increased activity in their social brain regions," Koele suggests.

Friendships and mental health

Koele also investigated the relationship between friendships and anxiety and depression symptoms in adolescents. For that research, she and her colleagues visited secondary schools for two years, administering behavioral tests and questionnaires in 13 first, second and third grades of havo and vwo. "We started visiting in November 2019. Fortunately, the students and teachers were so motivated afterwards that we were able to continue with the study online when the COVID pandemic broke out soon after."

In the study, she found that young people who experienced a lot of safety and little conflict in their friendships suffered less from anxiety and depression symptoms. "So a really good friendship is related to better mental health. Important, because young people in particular are at greater risk of anxiety and depression symptoms."

More focus on friendships

The insights from her Ph.D. are also practically applicable, Koele emphasizes. "There are already intervention programs with social skills training to reduce problems such as depression in young people. It would be a valuable addition to focus more on friendship quality here: teaching young people to increase positive qualities such as safety, and reduce negative friendship qualities such as conflict.

"In the research, she found that young people who experienced a lot of safety and little conflict in their friendships suffered less from anxiety and depression symptoms. "So a really good friendship is related to better mental health. This is important because young people in particular are at greater risk of anxiety and depression symptoms."

In psychological practice

Koele herself is already applying the results from her Ph.D. research in her work as a psychologist at FamilySupporters, where she treats adolescents with anxiety and depression symptoms. "My colleagues and I pay a lot of attention to the social network. We also involve parents, but adolescents often find it difficult to talk to them.

Hence, we also incorporate friends into the treatment plan: which friends can you call when things aren't going well? Or when you need distraction? Adolescents with depression symptoms often withdraw and take less initiative to see friends. And those experiencing anxiety often find it daunting to form and develop friendships.

"By expanding their social network, young people often feel better. We shouldn't underestimate how crucial that is. While professionals are undoubtedly valuable, they aren't seen every day and often only briefly. Friends, on the other hand, are always there."

Provided by Leiden University

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Students nationally continue to struggle with mental health. Here’s what support looks like at one Oregon high school

Addressing student mental health is now a part of the many services schools offer. a look at what’s available at david douglas, the school several students in the class of 2025 attend..

Soft lighting, comfy seats, a closed-off room away from the hard desks and fluorescent lights of the classroom.

This is where a handful of David Douglas High School students come for therapy. They might talk to Clarke Miller.

“In some ways, it’s like I’m a friend … I guess a real supporter, both emotionally and physically, just someone who’s there for them that they can rely on and talk to.”

Or Michael Cortez.

“This is a space where they can come in, they can relax, they can be vulnerable and open up,” he said.

Or Kai Hostetler.

“If you walk through this door, I’d like you to be able to go, ‘oh,’ and feel a little bit less heavy by the time you walk out.”

These three in-school therapists are contracted through Trillium Family Services to be at David Douglas, providing both therapy and more informal help to students who need it.

Recent research and stories tell of deteriorating mental health for students. According to the most recent Oregon student health survey , 70% of 11th graders reported feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge several days in a 30-day period. Almost a quarter of students felt those things nearly every day. One national study found child and adolescent mental health outcomes are declining even as other indicators are improving. A 2023 Washington Post story warned that teen girls are in crisis, and in 2021, a group of national organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health.

David Douglas High School junior Ali is one of 27 students OPB has been following since first grade in the long-term reporting project, Class of 2025 . She said she’s been affected by depression and anxiety in recent years.

“It was really hard because it didn’t allow me to do my best in school,” she said. “But I’m trying to overcome that and do better.”

Anna, another student in the Class of 2025, has also dealt with anxiety and heightened stress in high school.

“I’ve taken a lot of advanced classes, so there’s a lot of homework, a lot to worry about on tests,” she said.

High school students are dealing with challenges both in and out of the classroom. Schools across Oregon offer support for students' mental health from formal therapy sessions to check-ins and check-ups at school-based health centers.

Illustration by Rita Sabler / OPB

Ali, Anna, and several of the other students in OPB’s Class of 2025 attend David Douglas High School, one the largest high schools in the state. Like other schools across Oregon and nationwide, David Douglas has placed an emphasis on supporting students’ mental health by providing a network of adults throughout campus whose job it is to help students succeed.

Schools across Oregon provide critical mental health resources at no or low cost to students and their families. But funding challenges and staff turnover due to burnout and other factors threaten the future of these services, even as students continue to struggle.

Hostetler, Miller and Cortez hear from David Douglas students on a range of topics — from anxiety and depression to parent and peer relationships. Sometimes that depression is rooted in childhood trauma, or anxiety is tied to a student’s post-pandemic struggle to pass classes or turn in assignments on time.

Miller wasn’t initially expecting students to talk about serious issues.

“I went into it thinking that there would probably be a lot of petty drama, ‘Beverly Hills 90210′ kind of stuff, and I don’t really get any of that,” Miller said.

Instead, he said students are intelligent, insightful, and interested in grown-up conversations.

“The issues that we work on, I think, would be very similar to if they were 40 years old, maybe even more so, because their minds are so malleable and they’re growing so much, and they want to grow so much and they’re so motivated to learn and be better.”

Physical health connected to mental health

High school for many students means traveling in groups — to the bathroom, to the cafeteria, and at David Douglas, sometimes to the student health center, an on-campus medical clinic.

This isn’t a typical doctor’s office.

“You can’t walk into a primary care center with five girls,” said Kristin Case, a nurse practitioner at the David Douglas student health center.

But at the student health center, a small gray building on the high school campus, you can.

They’ll stand outside, or at the front desk, Case says.

“There’s sometimes a group of kids that are just standing at the door,” she said. The door stays locked for safety reasons, but sometimes students need that extra push before coming in.

“We might just open the door and say, ‘can we help you?’”

When a group comes in, Case or someone working at the front desk might try and figure out who the spokesperson of the group is, or who needs to make an appointment.

“I think sometimes there’s safety in numbers,” Case said.

There’s also a written form in English or Spanish at the front desk so students can privately explain what they’re looking for.

The health center serves young people districtwide, from kindergarten all the way to 12th grade. It’s part of a system that operates eight other student health centers in other Multnomah County school districts, including Portland and Reynolds. The David Douglas health center has an onsite behavioral health provider and therapist, in addition to Case.

These facilities, sometimes called school-based health centers, have been around in Oregon since 1986. Some are operated through partnerships between counties and school districts, while others are supported by local health systems or the Oregon Health Authority.

At David Douglas, the center served a little over 1,000 clients last school year, almost half of them ages 15-18. Most often, students show up for routine well-check visits and sports physicals. The second biggest reason? Anxiety and depression.

“The numbers have significantly gone up from what I can see,” Case said, " … Has our detection gone up? Have kids felt safer coming here? Probably all of the above.”

Over her 13 years at David Douglas, Case said she’s seen an increase in students seeking behavioral and mental health help. The rise was so significant she obtained an extra certification in pediatric mental health. She attributes some of the rise to students being more open to seeking support, as well as assessments that staff will do at every well visit and sports physical to screen students for anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and suicide.

Case said what might start out as a physical health visit often turns into a mental or behavioral health visit, but sometimes it takes time to build a relationship and build trust with a student.

“I might see a kid and they’re coming in for headaches, but really it’s sleep,” Case explained, noting the possible connections between physical symptoms like headaches and sleep problems, and behavioral or mental health.

Removing the barriers to getting help — starting in the counselor’s office

Not every student will have a reason to go to the health center. But they will at some point see a school counselor. That’s often the first person who hears a student mention a problem with mental health.

At David Douglas, eight counselors work with the whole student body. They meet with students a couple of times a year to discuss schedules and planning for the future. But sometimes, other things come up.

“School counselors are trained in mental health,” counselor Sarah Hunt said.

But time constraints make it difficult to have in-depth conversations with students.

“We certainly will sit and talk with a student that is going through, you know, ordinary teenage crises,” Hunt explained. “We have, ‘my best friend is moving’ or ‘we’re fighting,’ or ‘my boyfriend, my girlfriend,’ certainly all of those things are still things for teenagers and we still talk with them about that.”

But for things that are more serious, a student might get referred to one of the school’s two social workers. One of them is Caty Buckley.

“Last year I had a lot more kids who were feeling suicidal,” Buckley said. “Thankfully this year, I’m not hearing that quite as much, but right now … especially after the pandemic, we had a lot of kids with eating disorders.”

“And I think we continue to see drugs and alcohol increase with our students … I think that I’m also hearing a lot more trauma stories and I’m not sure if that’s because that’s being normalized in social media, but I think students are feeling more comfortable talking about what’s happened to them.”

But for all of these services that are offered, they’re only reaching a small number of students. Buckley has a caseload of about 40 students, less than 2% of the students that attend David Douglas.

While she’s happy she can help those students, Buckley is overwhelmed thinking about the many others who are not speaking to a counselor or other adult about what’s going on in their lives.

“Sometimes it can be like a little bit of a tsunami,” she said.

The limitations of in-school services

Even when fully staffed, working as a mental health provider can take a toll.

And sometimes, there’s not much a therapist can provide for students when there are bigger issues families are facing — like paying the bills.

“You can’t cope your way out of poverty,” Hostetler said.

“I feel like sometimes people do look to us to fix the problem, and the problem is the rest of the environment … That’s kind of where I hit a brick wall and I’ve noticed that a lot of other clinicians, that’s where they start to hit their burnout point too.”

Therapists say they can also have difficulty getting students to come to appointments, or engaging parents or family members in a student’s mental health journey.

“A lot of the things that our kids struggle with is their relationship with their parents. And it can be really tough for me sometimes to sit there and just to realize that like, they just don’t have a lot of options if their parents aren’t gonna be involved or supportive about these things and are not willing to make any changes,” Hostetler said.

Hostetler and Cortez, the Trillium therapists, are new to David Douglas this year, filling positions that were vacant at the beginning of the school year.

Waitlists of students seeking help filled up faster than usual. Counselors stepped in, playing a triage role helping students who might not need the level of support Buckley, school therapists, or a behavioral health professional can provide.

Not every school has all of the resources David Douglas has, and it is costly for Multnomah County to provide services to students. Despite a strong desire to support student health, sometimes staff turnover has prevented the student health center from fully being able to serve students.

But when it comes to mental health services, not a lot of Oregon students seek out formal help. According to the statewide student survey, only 4.1% of students go to a school-based health center when they have a physical or mental health problem or feel anxious during the school day.

Only 5.3% of students seek out a mental health therapist at school, while 18.7% go to their counselor. 33.2% talk to a parent, step parent, or guardian.

The vast majority of 11th graders surveyed, 62.2%, go to their friends.

Sometimes it just takes a group of your peers

Teenagers talking to their friends about the problems they’re having isn’t a bad thing. Improving mental health is not just about going to therapy. Spending time with friends, exercising, or getting enough sleep are all ways that have been proven to help teens and their mental health.

Class of 2025 student Ali said there haven’t been any adults at school who directly helped her when she’s struggled, other than a math teacher who helped her pass a class. She says her friends have played a big role.

“They make me want to come to school and they help me learn and when I need help, I know I can ask them and they’ll help me,” she said.

Also a big help? Her dog and her sister.

“I like to go out and spend time with everyone that I love and that helps me a lot,” she said.

In Oregon, grant funds have been doled out to school districts to help support youth-led projects that relate to mental health. From 2021 to 2023, youth-led projects included hosting movie nights and organizing mental health awareness weeks at schools. Additionally, there are regular groups where students can hang out with their peers, doing the things they enjoy, like Lane County Behavioral Health’s Dungeons & Dragons groups.

Sometimes dealing with anxiety or other mental health challenges might just come down to the individual finding their own coping strategies.

When Class of 2025 student Anna is stressed, she likes to break down the different things she’s stressed about into smaller, more manageable pieces.

“It doesn’t feel as worrying as this one big thing instead of a few small things,” she said.

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Oregon has fewer beds available for youth with the most serious psychiatric needs than it did 20 years ago. The investments will go to four projects adding new psychiatric residential treatment beds, the governor says.

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• v.46(3); Jul-Sep 2021

Prevalence of Mental Health Problems among High School Students

Abirami sakthivel.

Department of Community Medicine, PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

Suvetha Kannappan

Anuja s. panicker.

1 Department of Psychiatry, PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

Adolescence is a transitional phase between childhood and adulthood, characterized by a number of cognitive, emotional, physical, intellectual, and attitudinal changes as well as by changes in social roles, relationships, and expectations. While it is a phase of tremendous growth in preparation of adults' roles and skills to sustain pressures and challenges, it is also a transition phase that can increase risk of various, psychological disorders, adjustment problems, and suicidal tendencies.

According to the National Mental Health Survey of India (2015–2016), the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among adolescents (13–17 years) is around 7.3%. Approximately 40%–90% of “adolescents with depression” have a comorbid psychiatric disorder such as anxiety disorders, conduct disorders, substance abuse, or personality disorders. Suicide is a leading cause of death among young people, leading to death of at least 25% of deaths in adolescent boys and 50%–75% in adolescent girls. Therefore, there is a need for a positive and promotive mental health among adolescent youths, to ensure a smooth progress of adolescents to their adult life.[ 1 ]

Children spend more time in school than in any other formal institutional structure. As such, schools play a key part in children's development, from peer relationships and social interactions to academic attainment and cognitive progress, emotional control and behavioral expectations, and physical and moral development. All these areas are reciprocally affected by mental health.[ 2 ] There are studies in India, showing a higher (44.1%) prevalence of depression among higher secondary school students.[ 3 ] According to the burden of mental disorders across the states of India (2017), one among every seven people in India had a mental disorder, ranging from mild to severe.

Prevalence of mental disorders was highest in Tamil Nadu comparing to the other states in South India.[ 4 ] Given the background of increasing mental health problems among adolescents, this study was undertaken to estimate the prevalence of the problem and to identify the influencing factors.

This cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of 2 months among high school students (15–17 years) in a government-aided school in Coimbatore. Based on a prevalence of 27.2%, mental health problems among high school children in a study done in Karnataka, considering an absolute precision of 5%, the sample size was estimated to be 305.[ 5 ] Approval was obtained from the institutional human ethics committee, and informed consent was collected from the student's parents. Sociodemographic profile was obtained using a validated questionnaire. DASS-21 scale developed by Lovibond, and Lovibond was used to screen for symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.[ 6 ]

Results were available for 290 students. The age range of the students varied from 15 to 18 years. Among the participants, 49% were females. Around 87.9% of participants belong to nuclear family. Students were categorized into three groups based on the academic scores in the examination before conduct of the study and around 10% had scores below 50%. Around 2.4% of study participants were being raised by single parents. Among the study participants whose parents were living together, 3.1% perceived that the parental relationship was not good. Some of the important findings to note are, half of the students (50.3%) were facing trouble concentrating. An important point for concern is around 35.8% of the students had parental pressure for academic excellence. Another area for concern that more than half (62.7%) of the students felt that they had academic pressure.

Figure 1 depicts the range of mental health problems found among students. At least half of the students had some form of mental health problem ranging from mild to extremely severe. Anxiety symptoms were more common followed by depression, and stress was the least prevalent. Noteworthy is that one-fourth of students had severe/extremely severe anxiety symptoms.

Prevalence of mental health problems among students

Table 1 depicts the sociodemographic factors, their perception of academics, and relationship with peers were associated with mental health problems among students using multivariate analysis. It was found that males had a higher risk of developing depression (odds ratio: 3.167, confidence interval CI: 1.871–5.360) compared to females, and the association was found to be statistically significant. A significant association between problems in concentration, feeling of academic pressure, and mental health problems was found among the students. There were no significant influences in factors such as age, family income, academic performance, and parental relationship with mental health problems.

Association of sociodemographic profile with depression, anxiety, and stress

* P <0.05. OR: Odds ratio, CI: Confidence interval

Overall, the present study revealed that at least 50% of students had some form of mental health problems in varying severity. Depression (56%) and anxiety (64%) were more prevalent than stress (39%). The prevalence of severe/extremely severe mental health problems was estimated to be 10%–15%. Many of them exhibited more than one symptom. This could be possibly due to overlapping symptoms and a lack of clarity in the delineation of symptoms by adolescents as compared to adults. The results of the present study were similar to the study done by Pradheep et al . in Karnataka.[ 5 ]

To conclude, the present study reveals that at least half of the high school students did have high scores for mental problems varying in severity from mild to severe as detected by the DASS-21 scale. There are few studies related to mental health problems among adolescents though the burden of problems is increasing day by day. Further qualitative studies would help in in-depth understanding of the underlying factors for mental health problems among students. It is recommended that government should take initiative to start a counseling center with psychologists, school counselors, and psychiatric social workers in every school with the facility or access for screening periodically. Early diagnosis and necessary counseling/treatment will reduce the mental health problems among adolescents. Mental health education and trainings should be a part of routine school activity.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

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