The Wisconsin Office of Children's Mental Health (OCMH) Senior Research Analyst Amy Marsman spotlights recent articles, resources, and research findings impacting youth mental health.
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Parents Under Pressure: The Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Parents
Citing data showing 48% of parents say that most days their stress is completely overwhelming, the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a new advisory that calls for the nation to address pervasive sources of stress, fear, and worry that parents are often left to manage on their own, including the harms of social media and gun violence. Dr. Murthy’s reflections on the topic appeared in the New York Times.
Google's philanthropic arm is directly financing high school well-being projects on a classroom crowdfunding platform
The AP reported that Google.org funded all mental health-related listings on DonorsChoose, an online charity where members help purchase supplies requested by public school teachers. With $10 million in new gifts and the help of actress Selena Gomez, the Silicon Valley giant hopes to center mindfulness as an educational goal at the start of the academic calendar. Google’s own data has showcased the rising interest in youth mental health – searches for “teen mental health” doubled over the last four years.
One major barrier to increased funding for youth mental health is that donors don't know which solutions work. School-based mental health support is one of the most effective remedies, experts say. That's where many students begin the path to treatment and find trusted adults in teachers or coaches.
Anti-LGBTQ+ School Policies and LGBTQ+ Young People
Attending a school with even one anti-LGBTQ+ policy is associated with higher rates of anxiety, depression, and past-year suicide attempts for young LGBTQ+ students, according to The Trevor Project.
Transgender students more likely than cisgender peers to seek support from school staff, study finds
Transgender students are more likely to seek support from school staff and less likely to seek support from their parents when compared to their cisgender peers, according to a study from researchers at the UW–Madison and New York University. The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, found among students who felt depressed or anxious, transgender students were 74% less likely than their cisgender peers to seek help from parents than from adults in schools. The study authors say the results point to the critical role of PK-12 school staff in affirming and supporting trans and nonbinary students, especially when mental health concerns emerge.
The Department of the Interior recently concluded a 3-year investigation detailing the harm done to Native Americans during the Indian boarding school era
WPR reports that nearly 1,000 students died at federal Indian boarding schools. At least 11 of those schools were in Wisconsin. An investigation led by the federal agency on the trauma inflicted upon Native Americans by the federal Indian boarding school system detailed student deaths, the number of boarding schools, and the amount of money the U.S. spent on the system.
Cellphone bans spread in schools amid growing mental health worries
According to reporting, the most recent federal survey, in 2021, found that 43% of high schools and 77% of middle schools prohibit nonacademic use of cellphones or smartphones during school hours. Experts and administrators say those numbers have risen significantly. (OCMH is aware of at least 15 states that have taken action on the issue within the last year.)
More large school districts and states are among those implementing “Away for the Day” smartphone policies during the school day. In Los Angeles, officials are exploring how to implement a cellphone ban that will extend through the entire school day. “Knowing what we know, something must be done,” Alberto M. Carvalho, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, said in an interview. “Smartphones and the content students access relentlessly 24/7 are distracting kids from learning and eroding their mental health.” Walking into lunchrooms, he said, he often sees tables of four or five students where everyone is staring at their phones, rather than interacting with one another. “It’s heartbreaking,” he said.
Double-Edged Sword: Teens Provide Insight on Social Media and Mental Health
CNN featured a report from Common Sense Media and Hopelab that details the role social media plays in the lives of young people, and how they manage the various pros and cons. The research examined the differences between teens (ages 14-17) and young adults (ages 18-22), variations across racial and ethnic groups, and comparisons among those who identify as LGBTQ+ and those who do not.
The benefits and drawbacks include valuing online platforms for social connection, self-expression, and information while also feeling the brunt of social media’s effects on their attention span, confidence, and well-being.
The research was conducted in Fall 2023 and included youth in the development and interpretation of results. The researchers found the rate of depressive symptoms among youth is about 10% down from pandemic highs. Those with depression were more susceptible to social comparison and pressure to show their best selves on social media. But they were also more likely to find resources to support their well-being and curate their feeds for this purpose. This was especially important for LGBTQ+ youth who, along with Black and Latinx young people, faced more exposure to harassment and stress online.
Infant Cognitive Development and Screens: Research-at-a-Glance
How does screen time affect your infant’s cognitive development? Does early screen exposure shape their development in childhood and beyond? Children and Screens’ latest Research-at-a-Glance offers a two-page, graphic summary of the best research available on screen media’s effects on infant cognitive development.
Research Highlight: Smartphone Data May Not Reliably Predict Depression Risk in Diverse Groups
Smartwatches, smartphones, and other wearable devices are transforming how we track our physical health and behavior. Researchers are also exploring whether these devices might provide insights into our mental health, with the goal of developing AI tools that can help identify when people need mental health support or professional care. However, research supported by the National Institute of Mental Health suggests that AI tools built on smartphone data may struggle to accurately predict clinical outcomes like depression in large and diverse groups of people.
According to the researchers, the results underscore the importance of developing AI tools using data from people whose behavioral patterns are similar to those of the intended population. One way to increase the effectiveness of AI models may be to develop predictive models that are focused on smaller, more targeted populations.
Dental Health and Mental Health
Recent data on Wisconsin youth show that only 56% of Black high school students saw a dentist. This is far lower than the 82% of white children who saw a dentist. Dental health problems can impact a person's quality of life and exacerbate mental health problems. When a person has poor oral health, it can impact their eating and nutrition, speech, and self-esteem which can lead to reduced social interactions, further harming mental well-being. Many people have anxiety associated with dental care and avoid needed care. Given the connection between oral health and overall health, including mental health, programs are trying to reach kids in schools.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), in collaboration with the Children's Health Alliance of Wisconsin and Delta Dental of Wisconsin Foundation, is marking the 25th year of the Wisconsin Seal-A-Smile program, which brings preventive dental services to children in schools statewide. For more on youth mental health and oral health, see Delta Dental.
Vaping and Young People
According to 2023 YRBS data, 34% of high school students have vaped. The 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey found nearly one in five Wisconsinites ages 18-24 vape, representing a third of current adult e-cigarette users in our state. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) announced the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line has expanded its text-based Live Vape Free program to include young adults ages 18-26. The program supports young Wisconsinites on the path to ending their use of nicotine and vape products and will provide people over age 18 with two weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy if medically eligible.
Youth Practices and Perspectives on Resilience
MyVoice researchers published a journal article, “Being Open About Struggle“: Youth Practices and Perspectives on Resilience. The goal of this study was to explore how youth conceptualize resilience and overcome stressors within their everyday life experiences. Four themes were identified through qualitative, thematic analysis: (1) relationships are key to resilience; (2) perspective is everything; (3) resources can help build and maintain resilience; and (4) resilience is difficult to practice when you feel out of control. For more research insights from MyVoice, see their recently released Annual Report.
Youth-led Research AANHPI Policy Recommendations
Why We Lead, the first national study of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) youth, found that schools are a complex landscape: schools are both a vital source of community support, and they also serve as arenas of bias and prejudice from peers and adults alike. The Girls Leadership Youth Research Council has created a roadmap of how educators and policymakers can support and cultivate leadership potential of AANHPI youth. Citing minimal research exploring identity and leadership, particularly for girls and gender-expansive youth of color, the policy brief outlines key recommendations and actions to cultivate leadership potential within AANHPI youth.
Multiracial Category Underestimates Disproportionate Representation of Black and Indigenous Children in Foster Care
A new Child Trends analysis that includes multiracial children who are Black or Indigenous finds the percentage of Black children in foster care in the U.S. is 2.2 times higher than in the general population and that the percentage of Indigenous children in foster care is 2.5 times higher than in the general population.
As noted in last month’s newsletter, Native Americans are undercounted in most official data sets. Child Trends also finds that published child welfare data often underestimate racial disproportionality among Black and Indigenous children in foster care by categorizing all multiracial children in a catch-all “multiracial” category. Experts believe multiracial children who are Black or Indigenous should be included with Black and Indigenous children in data reporting (not a multiracial category) to obtain a more holistic assessment of the impacts of racial inequities on their lives.
While the child welfare field generally acknowledges that Black and Indigenous children are overrepresented in foster care compared to their proportion of the general population, the methods used to categorize children into racial/ethnic groups result in an underestimation of the scope of the disproportionality.
Analysis from a State-by-state Survey of Kinship Care Policies
A comprehensive survey of kinship care policies identifies increasing efforts across the country to promote kinship care and support kinship caregivers of children and youth who are known to the child welfare system. Read the policy data and analysis from the survey, fielded in 2022 for the Annie E. Casey Foundation by Child Trends. This is the third brief in a five-part series that will release throughout 2024.
Effective and Ineffective Policies on Substance Use During Pregnancy
Substance use and mental health conditions are often co-occurring. Child Trends released a report on substance use policies that assists mothers and babies. Knowing a mother’s mental health impacts her baby’s mental health, this report offers important insight to effective policies. In short, the analysis found that policies that focus on treatment rather than law enforcement or child welfare are more effective.
Researchers found in states that consider prenatal substance use to be a crime, the policy is associated with a 45% increase in overdose deaths among pregnant women, following implementation of this criminalization. Among all policies that involve child welfare and/or law enforcement, data suggest these policies are associated with no decrease in prenatal substance use, less use of prenatal care and addiction treatment, a 10%-18% increase in babies born exposed, and more children entering foster care.
In contrast, policies that fund treatment for prenatal substance use are associated with a 45% decrease in overdose deaths for pregnant women, and those that prioritize treatment access in cases of prenatal substance use are associated with more prenatal care use and healthier birth outcomes.
Trusted Messengers and Crisis Support
Trusted messengers are the individuals who people turn to for trusted, unbiased information and help when they’re struggling with their mental health or in crisis.
In the inaugural 988 Formative Research study, participants indicated that when they’re struggling with their mental health or are in crisis, they most often turn to their spouse/partner, mother/caregiver, siblings, and friends for help and advice. These trusted messengers are also the ones that participants said they would most trust information on 988 from, indicating their vital role in helping encourage, recommend, and influence their loved ones/close connections to seek support through 988. The second study in this project is focused on the trusted messengers among populations that are disproportionately impacted by suicide. Report highlights are provided.
Data You Can Use
Data You Can Use, in collaboration with the Community Development Alliance, released a new round of indicator maps for Milwaukee’s neighborhoods. These indicators are intended to help community members, planners, policy makers, and neighborhood organizations to plan, document, and explore key pieces of information about their neighborhoods. The indicators have been chosen based on a review of best practice, their importance, and interest to users. The MKE Indicators new interactive portal allows users to view all five indicator categories (equitable housing, population, market value, equity and access, and health) in one portal to explore city and neighborhood data. Data includes housing built before 1950, poor mental health, access to basic needs, employment, and quality schools. Data for these indicators were drawn from a variety of sources, including the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey, the CDC's PLACES Health data, the City of Milwaukee, and others.
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OCMH Research and Data Resources
Key Facts in Youth Mental Health: https://children.wi.gov/Pages/ResearchData/KeyFacts.aspx
Data Sources: https://children.wi.gov/Pages/Resources/DataSources.aspx
Fact Sheets: https://children.wi.gov/Pages/ResearchData/FactSheets.aspx
Youth Mental Health Initiatives: https://children.wi.gov/Pages/Resources/ChildrensInitiatives.aspx
Research News in Youth Mental Health: https://children.wi.gov/Pages/OCMHNewsletters.aspx
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