Feelings Of Sadness Or Hopelessness Are On The Rise In Teens, ‘Deeply Disturbing’ Report Finds
The Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which is given every two years to nearly 15,000 students in high schools in 39 state, did offer some encouraging trends, suggesting that the overall picture for adolescents is a nuanced one.
The New York Times:
Sex And Drugs Decline Among Teens, But Depression And Suicidal Thoughts Grow
One in seven high school students reported misusing prescription opioids, one of several disturbing results in a nationwide survey of teenagers that revealed a growing sense of fear and despair among youth in the United States. The numbers of teenagers reporting “feelings of sadness or hopelessness,” suicidal thoughts, and days absent from school out of fear of violence or bullying have all risen since 2007. The increases were particularly pointed among lesbian, gay and bisexual high school students. Nationally, 1 in 5 students reported being bullied at school; 1 in 10 female students and 1 in 28 male students reported having been physically forced to have sex. (Hoffman, 6/14)
Los Angeles Times:
U.S. Teens Are Taking Fewer Risks With Their Health, Though Drinking And Unsafe Sex Are Still Common
“The overall prevalence of most health-risk behaviors has moved in the desired direction,” wrote a team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Adolescent and School Health. However, they added, “many high school students are engaged in health-risk behaviors associated with the leading causes of death” for their age group. (Kaplan, 6/14)