Monday, 9 January 2023

Bitesize Research: Mental Health Issues In Teenagers

By Jaya Carrier

I hope you’re all having a good week so far. This week I was interested to read about a recent study about the prevalence of mental health problems in young people aged 16 and 17 conducted by the Institute of Education and the Sutton Trust.


Objectives: To understand the current prevalence of mental health problems in young people aged 16 and 17.


Summary: 

  • The report highlights that 44% of young people aged 16 and 17 are reaching or exceeding the threshold for poor mental health

  • This is up from 35% in 2017 and 23% in 2007

  • The report authors say Covid is likely to have sped up or exacerbated the situation, but that underlying factors and systemic issues are likely to have a big impact

  • The report also reveals some other characteristics that have a high prevalence of poor mental health. In particular, students who identify as non-binary were much more likely to self-harm. 

  • The study makes clear that a large proportion of young people also reported that they had very low motivation.


How does this impact me and my practice?: Some reflections arising from this that might be helpful to consider are: 


  • How am I currently supporting students with their mental health and motivation?

  • What strategies can I use to support the mental health of the young people in our school community?

  • What support do I need for this?

 

Please do get in touch if you would like to talk further about this - I’d love to hear from you!

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