More than a quarter of US adolescents experienced poor mental health and about 40% felt persistent sadness and hopelessness, according to the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The survey also found that 20% of students had seriously considered attempting suicide, with about 10% reporting acting on these feelings.

The data, collected from a nationally representative sample of more than 20 000 high school students, showed that female and LGBTQ+ students experienced higher levels of all mental health and suicide indicators than their respective male and heterosexual peers. Suicide risk indicators were particularly high for LGBTQ+ adolescents: 41% had serious suicidal thoughts and 20% had attempted suicide, compared with 13% and 6% of their heterosexual peers, respectively.

A higher percentage of White students indicated poor mental health than Black or Hispanic students. But Black and Hispanic students were more likely to have attempted suicide than White students. Asian students were least likely to have seriously considered attempting suicide.

Additionally, the authors identified protective factors that were associated with lowered mental health-related risk factors, including getting frequent physical activity and 8 or more hours of sleep, having a household adult who "always tried" to meet their basic needs, and exhibiting high levels of school connectedness. Playing on a sports team was linked with lower risk indicators except attempted suicide.

"The high prevalence of poor mental health and suicide risk indicators among female students and LGBTQ+ students and differences by race and ethnicity underscore the urgency for comprehensive research to explore factors that contribute to these disparities," the authors wrote.