OCMH Senior Research Analyst Amy Marsman spotlights recent articles, resources, and research findings impacting youth mental health.
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Eau Claire County Child and Youth Data Report
Highlighting the recent trends and indicators of health and wellbeing, the Eau Claire Health Department issued a report covering economic, mental, social, emotional, educational, and physical health and safety indicators for Eau Claire County along with comparative data to Wisconsin.
Exercise protects kids against anxiety, depression, and attention challenges
A large study revealed that children and adolescents in better-performing fitness quantiles exhibited lower cumulative incidences of anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and ADHD. The risk of mental health disorder was weighted against three metrics for physical fitness: cardio fitness, as measured by a student’s time in an 800-meter run; muscle endurance, indicated by the number of sit-ups performed; and muscle power, measured by the standing broad jump. Improved performance in each activity was linked with a lower risk of mental health disorder (i.e. anxiety, depression, and ADHD).
Electronic Screening in Pediatric Practice Doubled Disclosure Rates
Physicians Weekly reported that the research findings published in Pediatrics highlight the benefits of shifting from paper-based screening for health-related social needs/caregiver mental health concerns to tablet-based screening. Overall, 11% of paper-based screenings identified one or more mental health needs compared with a 26% of electronic screenings.
Standardized screening leads to earlier autism diagnoses in pediatric care
New research from Drexel University's A.J. Drexel Autism Institute found that the use of standardized autism screening during pediatric well-child visits identifies more children with high autism likelihood at a younger age, including those presenting with more subtle symptoms. This is the first large-scale, randomized trial to test the impact of standardized autism screening on early detection of autism in pediatric primary care. The study results indicate that routine, standardized screening for all children at toddler well visits, coupled with immediate referrals for diagnosis for those showing likelihood of autism during the screening, is superior to relying on non-standardized use of screeners or clinicians' judgment for identifying children with autism.
Adolescents Who Do Not Report Risk on the PHQ-9
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center reported on a retrospective cohort study that looked at characteristics of adolescents with depression who did not report suicide risk on item 9 of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) depression screener before self-harm or suicide. It found that those screened in primary care or those with prior inpatient mental health encounters were less likely to report suicide risk on the PHQ-9. The researchers said older age, history of an inpatient mental health encounter, or being screened in primary care were associated with at-risk adolescents being less likely to endorse having thoughts of death and self-harm on the PHQ before a self-harm event or suicide death. As use of the PHQ becomes more widespread in practice, additional research is needed for understanding reasons why many at-risk adolescents do not endorse thoughts of death and self-harm.
Successfully Integrating Emotional Health Assessments into Pediatric Care
Only 20% of almost 4,000 graduating pediatric subspecialty fellows recently surveyed indicated that they felt competent to address patients’ mental health needs. The American Board of Pediatrics Roadmap for Emotional Health Project aims to support pediatricians in addressing these concerns. Of the initial cohort of physicians in the Roadmap Project, scores increased for all checklist categories: “developing a family resource list” (by 90%), “confidence to address emotional health” (79%), “having a family crisis plan” (78%), and among physicians who measured whether clinical encounters addressed emotional health, there was an increase from 21% to 77%. Read more in the journal Pediatric Quality and Safety.
Less than 10% of federal budget is spent on children
The Kids’ Share 2024 research report from the Urban Institute summarizes public spending on U.S. children. The report finds that 9% of our federal budget is devoted to spending on children’s health care, food, shelter, and education combined. And that figure is expected to drop to 6% over the next decade. Urban Institute authors explain that investments supporting children’s healthy development and human potential can promote their well-being and help them grow into the next generation of adults and workers, leading to a stronger workforce and economy. Within ten years, all categories of expenditures on children as a share of GDP are projected to decline below current levels, and all except health are also projected to decline below pre-pandemic levels.
Low-income families less likely to report having school-based mental health services but most likely to utilize them when offered.
“A Nation’s Children At Risk,” published by the Center for Applied Research in Education at the University of Southern California, found that low-income students are less likely to be in schools offering mental health supports, even though they are considerably more likely to take up those supports when offered. Around 20% of parents whose children are not being offered mental health supports in schools say they would take them up if offered—a clear untapped need.
The report also found teenage girls and pre-teen boys were worst affected by the decline in mental health. Additionally, the report found students who were chronically absent were much more likely to have mental health concerns – further evidence of the link between chronic absenteeism and mental health.
SUSO Tipline Grows Bystander Reporting in Wisconsin Schools
According to the Office of School Safety, Speak Up Speak Out (SUSO) – Wisconsin’s confidential tip line –received 5,270 tips during the 2023-2024 school year, a more than 40% increase from the previous school year. Since the inception of SUSO in 2020, bullying has consistently been the number one tip. Awareness of these incidents helps schools intervene early, before grievances can lead students down a pathway to violence. Read more in their Annual Report.
Bullied Teens Twice as Likely to Suffer Anxiety or Depression.
A recent CDC Data Brief finds a third (34%) of teenagers nationally are bullied though some marginalized groups, such as teens with developmental disabilities, are more likely to be bullied (44%). Girls are more likely than boys to be victims of bullying. Teens who are bullied were nearly twice as likely to have anxiety or depression.
New Study Highlights Urgent Need for Targeted Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Support for Sexual and Gender Diverse Youth
Researchers from the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital analyzed six years of multistate child death review data and found that among the sexual and gender diverse youth in the dataset, 81% died by suicide despite 70% of those youth receiving current or prior mental health services. The study also found that sexual and gender diverse youth were significantly more likely to experience problems in school or be victims of bullying, compared with nonsexual- and gender-diverse youth.
Snapshot: Young people are focused not on fame or fortune, but on personal safety and kindness – and want stories on friendships
When asked what was most important to them, young people ages 10 to 24 overwhelmingly reported that safety was their number one priority. This finding is from the Speak Out Research Snapshot series, a project from UCLA, and part of their larger Teens and Screen 2024 Report. Youth rated the importance of 14 goals, ranging from being in shape to being popular; their first goal is to be safe, followed by being kind to others. The least important goals were to be famous and to be the same as everyone else.
The authors state that the safety findings makes sense in light of recent data from the CDC showing increased reports of violence for young people over the last couple of years, including a larger percentage of students reporting being bullied, being threatened or injured with a weapon at school, and even missing school due to safety concerns. It illuminates the effect unregulated, 24/7 access to the news is having on young people’s psyches as they become increasingly aware and anxious about the social, environmental, and personal risks they face.
Another finding from the annual Teens and Screens Study, which surveyed 1,644 adolescents, ages 10 to 24 on their preferences around movies, tv, social media and gaming, found that 64% of adolescents expressed a preference for stories focused on friendships and platonic over romantic relationships.
Half of Teens Spend 4+ Hours on Screens – not for Academic Purposes
Time spent in front of screens has continued to rise in the U.S. High levels of screen time have been linked with adverse health outcomes, including poor sleep habits, fatigue, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Using data from the July 2021–December 2023 National Health Interview Survey–Teen (NHIS–Teen), this report describes daily screen time among teenagers (ages 12–17). Teenagers reported on their own screen time use during a typical weekday, excluding time spent doing schoolwork. Half had four hours or more of daily screen time, not for schoolwork.
States Launch Youth Mental Health Corps
Citing the 62% increase in suicide among U.S. youth and other troubling increases in youth mental health, 11 states launched the Youth Mental Health Corps to help teenagers access critical mental health resources. Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota and Texas are the first cohort of states to begin this work, a public-private collaboration with AmeriCorps. Next year, California, Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Utah, and Virginia will join the effort. Youth Mental Health Corps members will gain on-the-job experience, receive a stipend and earn a credential to advance their career, creating career pathways to address the national shortage of mental-health professionals.
Public Perceptions of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Survey – National Results
The recently released Harris Poll on mental health and suicide prevention found that only half of adults (49%) in the U.S. know that limiting access to lethal means can prevent suicide. Fewer (47%) know that firearms are used in the majority of suicide deaths.
State Policies May Reduce Early Childhood Maltreatment.
Child Trends researchers found state child tax credits, higher minimum wage thresholds, more expansive contraceptive access policies, and broader SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) eligibility requirements are linked to reduced maltreatment and neglect of children under age 3. These findings, reported in the journal of Child Maltreatment, examined whether changes in state-level policies providing economic and family planning support implemented from 2005 to 2019 were associated with changes in rates of reported and substantiated abuse and neglect. The study found decreased maltreatment among Black, White, and Hispanic children.
Housing Mobility Associated with Increased Risk of Adolescent Suicidality
Researchers from Wisconsin assess the relationship between lifetime housing mobility among adolescents and suicidal behavior in this new study. This study examines disparities in housing mobility and suicidal behavior to determine whether certain groups are disproportionately impacted. Using data from Wisconsin’s 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which assessed Wisconsin middle and high school students, they found that housing mobility, as measured in the lifetime number of residences, was associated with an increased risk of suicidal ideation and behavior. The authors also found disparities by race, disability status, and sexual orientation.
How Emergency Rental Assistance Might Protect Households With Children From Food Insufficiency
Child Trends analysis shows that emergency rental assistance (ERA) provided during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with lower likelihoods of food insufficiency than similar households that were waiting for ERA or denied emergency rental assistance benefits. Both housing and hunger are linked with youth mental health outcomes. Findings are further evidence that policies that allow families to stay housed and fed are beneficial to children’s mental health and well-being.
Medicaid Continuous Eligibility: The Health and Economic Benefits of Expanding Eligibility
A recent Issue Brief from U.S. Health and Human Services summarizes how Medicaid coverage helps children in both the short-term and long-term. Research shows that Medicaid coverage enhances health in childhood and adulthood. Because improved health leads to improved educational outcomes, expanded eligibility can also lead to higher rates of employment and earnings, which also increases tax revenues and reduced spending on public assistance programs. Five states have expanded beyond the required 12 months to now offer continuous eligibility for the first five years of a child’s life.
Maternal depression and other adversity linked to teen mental health risk
Longitudinal research from the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research on childhood adversity, especially maternal depression, demonstrates how adolescents' mental health, also affects their neural connectivity. The study found that teens who faced high levels of emotional adversity in their early years exhibit significant differences in brain activity related to emotion processing.
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OCMH Research and Data Resources
Key Facts in Youth Mental Health: https://children.wi.gov/Pages/ResearchData/KeyFacts.aspx
Fact Sheets: https://children.wi.gov/Pages/ResearchData/FactSheets.aspx
Data Sources: https://children.wi.gov/Pages/Resources/DataSources.aspx
Research News in Youth Mental Health: https://children.wi.gov/Pages/OCMHNewsletters.aspx
Youth Mental Health Initiatives: https://children.wi.gov/Pages/Resources/ChildrensInitiatives.aspx
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