Children & Adolescents


  • In 50% of those who suffer from mental illness, the symptoms began in early adolescence (World Health Organization, 2018)
  • 20% of children and young adults are struggling with mental illness (NAMI, 2018)
    • Ages 8-14: 13%
    • Ages 15-18: 20%
  • ​90% of those who died by suicide had underlying mental illness symptoms (NAMI, 2018)
  • Adolescents ages 12-17 (Lu, 2019):
    • 18.1% of adolescents reported having a lifetime prevalence of major depressive episode (MDE)
    • 12.9% reported having an MDE for 12 months
    • 9.2% had an MDE with severe impairment
    • 71.8% of adolescents who had a 12-month MDE also reported an MDE with severe cognitive impairments
  • Females score 5 points higher than males on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)
  • Non-Hispanic white children scored 1.84 points higher than Hispanic children
  • Non-Hispanic white children scored 2.46 points higher than Non-Hispanic African American children (Thomas, Temple, Perez, & Rupp, 2011)

LGBTQ Youth

  • Higher rates of major depression, anxiety disorders, and PTSD symptoms (CDC, 2016)
  • 18% meet criteria for depression (Russell & Fish, 2016)
  • 11.3% meet criteria for PTSD (Russell & Fish, 2016)
  • 31% report suicidal behavior (Russell & Fish, 2016)
  • LGBTQ youth are 2 times more likely to attempt suicide when living in areas lacking anti-bullying laws (Human Rights Campaign, 2019)
  • 77% have reported feeling depression in the past week (Human Rights Campaign, 2019)
  • LGBTQ youth are approximately 4 times more likely to die from suicide (NAMI, 2019)
  • A positive home environment and school environment promote mental wellness (Koenig, Espelage, Argon, & Birkett, 2008)

Parents - What to look for (Healthychildren.org, 2019):

  • Excessive sleeping, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, insomnia
  • Poor self-esteem
  • Loss of interest in hobbies
  • Sudden decline in academic performance
  • Weight loss or loss of appetite
  • Personality shifts and changes like aggression

Resources

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Parents reported (Bright, Knapp, Hinojosa, Alford, & Bonner, 2016): 

  • 23.2% of adolescents experienced 1 adverse childhood experience (ACE)
  • 9.2% had 2 ACEs
  • 10.3% had 3 ACEs

Source: Prevention Board Wisconsin

For more information, check out the Wisconsin State Health Assessment and Health Improvement Plan