A new analysis uncovers a significant shift in U.S. adolescent mental health around 2009-2010, with multiple troubling trends rising in tandem, prompting calls for closer investigation into social influences and protective measures for vulnerable groups.
A new analysis presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics conference suggests that U.S. adolescent mental health shifted sharply around 2009 to 2010, with several troubling trends moving in tandem rather than in isolation. The study examined decades of Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System data for high school students and found that indicators such as suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, sadness or hopelessness, sleep deprivation, obesity and academic performance all changed direction or worsened around roughly the same period.
The findings add to a wider body of evidence showing that teen mental health remains under strain. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey results that more than 40% of high school students reported persistent sadness or hopelessness, and nearly 30% said they were in poor mental health. The CDC also noted that girls and LGBTQ+ students have faced heavier burdens than many of their peers.
The new presentation, led by Saurabh Sharma of Horseheads, New York, used national survey data from 1991 through 2021 to look for inflection points in adolescent health and behaviour. It found that suicidal ideation had fallen steadily through 2009 before rising again afterwards, while suicide attempts increased after 2009. Reported sadness or hopelessness climbed more gradually at first, then accelerated after 2017. The researchers also identified later increases in insufficient sleep and obesity, alongside a long-term decline in academic performance.
In a statement quoted in the report, co-author Niyati Sharma said: “The most surprising finding was not simply that mental health worsened, but that all indicators changed around the same time.” She added that the pattern could reflect broader social changes rather than a single cause, and said it deserves closer investigation to help protect the mental health of future generations. The CDC’s 2013 to 2023 trend reports have also pointed to recent signs of improvement from 2021 to 2023, although they stress that girls and LGBTQ+ students continue to face higher rates of violence, mental health problems and suicidal thoughts.
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