A poll conducted by Ipsos on behalf of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) finds that most teens are comfortable talking about mental health, but often don’t start the conversation. They are looking to their schools and parents for information and support. They want schools to play a big role in their mental health, and they trust the information they get there, but feel like schools are not doing enough.
“While the pandemic has taken a toll on our young people’s mental health, which was already showing troubling signs, this poll of young people shows that adults and schools have the opportunity — and an obligation — to help,” said Daniel H. Gillison Jr., CEO of NAMI.
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According to the poll, about 1 in 4 teens have been diagnosed with a mental health condition, and 64% feel the world is more stressful now than when their parents were their age.
Key Findings:
- 64% feel the world is more stressful now than when parents were their age
- About 1 in 6 report experiencing negative emotions all the time or often
- Girls more likely to say they are anxious or stressed out often or all the time
- 1 in 4 have been diagnosed with a mental health condition
- 28% report having received mental health treatment
- Boys more likely to say they don’t need mental health treatment right now
- 65% say they feel comfortable talking about their mental health with those who are closest to them. But:
- Only 48% talk regularly with parents about their mental health and only 22% talk regularly with friends
- Only 34% seek mental health information from parents, 18% from friends, 8% from the internet, 7% from teachers or trusted adults outside their family, and 6% from social media.
- Among those who have sought information about mental health, 95% trust their parents and 78% trust their friends
- Teens want schools to play a big role in their mental health, and they trust the information they get there
- 2 in 3 agree schools should teach about what mental health is, including where and how to seek treatment
- 4 in 5 who seek mental health information from teachers say they trust their teachers and other adults at their school to provide it
- 67% think schools should offer days off for mental health
- Teens don’t think their schools are doing enough
- 56% say their school thinks that mental health matters
- 40% say their school has specific programs or resources to support mental health
This poll was conducted by Ipsos on behalf of NAMI between July 15–Aug 1, 2022, using the KnowledgePanel®. It is based on a representative sample of 1,015 U.S. teens (ages 12–17) recruited through their parents. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
