OCMH Senior Research Analyst Amy Marsman spotlights recent articles, resources and research findings impacting youth mental health.
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Americans self-reported mental and physical health dropping
Americans' assessments of their mental and physical health in Gallup’s latest annual survey are the least positive they have been in Gallup’s 24-year trend, reflecting a long decline. The declines are especially stark for young women.
In the five-year period of 2010-2014, about half (48%) of young women (ages 18-29) said they had excellent mental health. This dropped 33 percentage points to 15% by the 2020-2024 period. Young men also reported large declines.
The Mental State of the World report
The Mental State of the World, a report from Sapien Labs, tracks wellbeing trends across the Internet-enabled world, including trends on 1 million participants in 82 countries. The global decline in younger generations’ mental health is highlighted.
The research found that younger adults (ages 18-34) have starkly diminished Mind Health. Across all countries, 41% of young adults are experiencing functionally debilitating distress. Younger adults (18–34) have challenges in multiple social and cognitive areas including planning and organization; focus and concentration; social interaction and cooperation; relationships; self-control and impulsivity.
Changes in Crisis Services and Peer Support Since Launch of 988
A national study found that, as calls and messages to 988 increased each year since the launch of 988, so too did the use of peer support services in Wisconsin. The cohort study of 15,623 mental health treatment facilities found that the launch of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline was associated with a significant increase in peer support services, a significant decrease in psychiatric walk-in services, and statistically significant, albeit small, decreases in mobile crisis response and suicide prevention services. Study authors suggest that mental health officials and policymakers should consider strategies to boost the financing and availability of crisis services at mental health treatment facilities to meet increased demand generated by the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. See related article on the implications in Wisconsin.
Association between state minimum wage and firearm suicides in the USA, 2000–2020
Policies that enhance economic security and decrease community-level poverty may be effective strategies for reducing risk of firearm suicide. This study examined the association between state minimum wage and firearm suicide, finding a $1.00 increase in a state’s minimum wage above the federal minimum wage was associated with a 1.4% decrease in firearm suicides. These findings expand the evidence base for how economic policies may be leveraged to reduce firearm suicides.
Substance Use Disorder Increases Risk of Suicidal Thoughts and Attempts
Research from The Pew Charitable Trusts finds that people who use substances or have substance use disorders are at an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and attempts. Studies show that, compared with the general population, people who use alcohol or drugs, or have substance use disorders, are at increased risk of dying by suicide. The risk of death by suicide increases 5.8 times for people with alcohol use disorder, 8.1 times for people with alcohol and drug use disorders, and 11.2 times for people with alcohol, drug, and tobacco use disorders. Expanding screening and lowering barriers to behavioral health care are cited as ways to help prevent suicide.
Global, regional, and national burden of suicide, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021
The Lancet Public Health recently published an analysis of global, regional, and national suicide rates from 1990 to 2021. The data came from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2021. Quantifying the burden of suicide to understand its geographical distribution, temporal trends, and variation by age and sex is an essential step in suicide prevention. The countries with the highest age-standardised rate of suicides attributable to firearms in 2021 were the USA, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Report: Teens, Social Media and Technology 2024
Amid national concerns about technology’s impact on youth, many teens are as digitally connected as ever. According to Pew Research, most teens use social media and have a smartphone, and nearly half say they’re online almost constantly. Of all the online platforms, YouTube is used the most frequently.
Wisconsin DOJ Provides Resources for Teens and Parents as Sextortion Cases Increase
The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is providing resources for online safety with tips for talking to kids about safe online practices as sextortion cases increase throughout the country, including in Wisconsin. In some cases, sextortion has led to youth suicide. Tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children include getting involved in your child’s digital life, talking about relationships, empowering your child and teaching them how to report sextortion.
Review of Gaps in the Research Literature on Social Media and Youth Mental Health
In the first annual review of the gaps in literature pertaining to social media and youth mental health, researchers at The Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health conducted literature reviews and environmental scans of existing resources.
The researchers found a need for experimental research, especially randomized control trials, to help answer causal questions about the relationship between social media use and the benefits/harms to youth mental health. In addition, experimental research is needed to assess which populations may be most at risk of negative impacts of social media use, and/or most poised to take advantage of specific design features and affordances. Most of the existing literature on the effects of social media is correlational, leaning heavily on cross-sectional surveys which cannot identify causal relationships. There is a need for increased funding for randomized control trials to help address research gaps related to social media and youth wellbeing. There is also a need for research focused on implementation and outcomes of interventional approaches, including school-based digital literacy curriculums, family media use plans, and digital monitoring apps.
New Study Reveals Lasting Impact of Social Emotional Skills in Toddler TV
The lessons from Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood haven't just entertained children — they've shaped teenagers' emotional lives for years to come. In this study of teens ages 13-16 who watched Daniel Tiger as toddlers, researchers found that nearly 12 years later after the show's debut, adolescents still remember and actively use the social-emotional skills they learned from Daniel and friends. A majority (57%) of teens recall specific strategies for managing emotions, with 21% reporting they still use Daniel Tiger's calming techniques today.
Three quarters (77%) teens express interest in content addressing social-emotional topics, but only 35% report finding shows that teach these vital skills — with many turning to content made for younger audiences to fill this gap in the teen media landscape.
2024 Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People in Wisconsin
The Trevor Project released state level reports on LGBTQ youth mental health. The Wisconsin report includes data on the top 5 actions people can take to show their support and acceptance for LGBTQ+ young people. The data also show that more than half of Wisconsin LGBTQ youth say recent politics have harmed their well-being a lot. See related story: Anti-trans messaging has deepened despair among Wisconsin LGBTQ+ youth, new report finds.
The Mental Health and Experiences of LGBTQ+ Young People in the Rural U.S.
LGBTQ+ young people living in rural areas were half as likely as those in non-rural areas to say their community was supportive of LGBTQ+ people (34% vs. 67%), according to a recent analysis from The Trevor Project. Rural LGBTQ+ youth are more likely to report bullying, more likely to have considered suicide and have fewer supportive spaces and less access to mental health care.
Caregiver Support, Suicide, and LGBTQ+ Youth of Color
Among transgender, nonbinary, or gender questioning (TGNBQ) youth of color, acceptance for gender identity was linked to 36% lower odds of a past-year suicide attempt. The study underscores the protective role of parental/caregiver acceptance against suicidal attempts, emphasizing the need for acceptance across diverse family dynamics.
School Mental Health Report Card
Inseparable released report cards that monitor state progress in adopting policies that strengthen and improve school-based mental health services. Their full report and a state snapshot for Wisconsin are available.
YRBS Overview, Methods, and Participation Rates
The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) is a set of surveys that tracks a broad range of behaviors, experiences, and conditions that can lead to poor health among high school students. The system includes a nationally representative Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and separate school-based YRBSs conducted by states, tribes, territories, and local school districts. An overview of the 2023 YRBS, including methods and participation trends over time was released in the fall, along with a number of topical supplements. Some of these supplemental reports have been featured in this newsletter; others will be highlighted in future Research News.
Recommendations for anxiety screening in pediatric primary care
The findings from this narrative review underscore the critical role of pediatric primary care providers in identifying and managing anxiety in children and adolescents and the growing need for early anxiety screening in pediatric primary care settings. Early screening using validated tools and medication can improve mental health outcomes and increase access to care. Screening tools and resources are outlined for pediatric primary care providers.
The Connection Opportunity: Insights for Bringing Americans Together Across Difference
More in Common conducted a two-year study involving over 6,000 Americans—with regional spotlights on the Pittsburgh, Kansas City, and Houston metro areas that found most Americans value and are interested in connecting across difference (race, income, religion, politics), especially when working toward a shared goal. When asked what challenges stand in the way of forming these connections, Americans most commonly report a “lack of opportunity.” The authors also learned that the more people believe others are engaging across difference (and value such engagement), the more interested they are in doing so themselves.
This report provides insights into what fosters interest in connection and gives broad recommendations for how to build more meaningful connections across lines of difference nationwide. Community leaders, organizations, and individuals can use these findings to better understand what drives connection and uncover strategies to foster deeper, more meaningful relationships across difference in their communities.
Loneliness links Adverse Childhood Experiences to Mortality Risk across 26 years
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are associated with increased mortality risk. Individuals with a history of certain adversity during childhood tend to report higher levels of loneliness in later life. In this study, researchers examined whether loneliness mediates the ACEs to mortality risk relation. They concluded that loneliness appears to be a central mechanism in the long-term impact of ACEs on longevity. In other words, loneliness in adulthood accounted for the relationship between ACEs and future death.
The Role of Organized Activities in Supporting Youth Social Capital Development: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis
Social capital provides young people with a web of supportive relationships that can be leveraged in pursuit of education, career, and life goals. Organized activities, an umbrella term for extracurricular activities, after-school programs, and youth development programs, are important developmental contexts for building social capital. The purpose of this qualitative meta-synthesis was to illuminate the developmental pathway through which social capital development occurs in organized activities. Themes were used to construct an empirically-grounded model that posits a process through which organized activities support youth social capital development. Implications for intentionally strengthening organized activities’ capacity to support youth social capital are discussed.
Updated State-level Data for Understanding Child Welfare in the United States
Child Trends’ interactive child welfare data tool has undergone two important updates: 1) The child maltreatment profiles have been updated with 2023 data, including demographic data on maltreated children, the prevalence of child maltreatment, and the number of referrals made to child welfare agencies. 2) The kinship caregiving profiles for all 50 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico now feature information on states’ kinship caregiving policies, including identification of relatives and relative notification, and what services and assistance are available for kinship caregivers.
Parent Reports of COVID-19’s Lasting Effect on Children
A recent Gallup poll shows that parents believe the pandemic negatively impacted their child’s social skills development (45%) and mental health (42%) – more than academic outcomes or physical health – and that these are ongoing issues for their child.
COVID-19 Stress and Coping Among Black Youth: The Role of Socio-Emotional Community Mentor Support
This study examined associations between COVID-19 stress and coping responses among diverse Black youth (ages 11-18) during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the role of mentor social-emotional support was tested as a moderator of these associations. The study highlights that the social-emotional support of mentors can attend to the psychosocial strengths of Black youth even in the face of concurrent, ongoing stressors.
Foundations for Engaging Young People: A Beginning Guide to Meaningful Youth Engagement in Health Outreach Efforts
Written and designed by young people across Wisconsin in collaboration with UW-Madison Extension, PATCH (Providers and Teens Communicating for Health), and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), this report details how to meaningfully engage youth in health and mental health conversations and outreach, including as youth researchers.
The Mentoring Program’s Guide to Youth Participatory Action Research: Integrating Meaningful Research Opportunities into Mentoring Services
There has been an increasing desire within the mentoring field to harness the power of mentoring to enable the youth served in a program to not just grow individually, but to collaborate and partner with one another, their mentors, and program staff, to use their talents and voices to influence wider positive changes in their communities. This guide highlights one path to this extended impact of mentoring programs: youth participatory action research.
Well-Being
The National Sleep Foundation’s annual poll focused on exploring the powerful link between sleep health and an individual’s ability to flourish in life. Flourishing encompasses happiness, productivity at home and work, goal achievement, and fulfilling social relationships—key indicators of well-being. The researchers emphasized that prioritizing sleep health at a societal level can lead to improved mental health, workplace efficiency, and stronger personal relationships—critical components of a thriving population.
Last year’s findings focused on teens’ sleep and found that 80% of teens are not getting enough sleep; teens who have trouble falling or staying asleep two or more nights a week have significantly more depressive symptoms; and almost three fourths of teens say their emotional well-being is negatively impacted when they sleep less than usual.
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