What Is The Prevalence Of Mental Health Of Children And Teens?

The mental health of children and teenagers is an issue that affects many and needs to be more strongly addressed. One if five individuals will experience a mental health condition by age 25. The onset of 50 percent of adult mental health disorder happens by age 14. In fact, 11.2 percent of young people have a mood disorder, 8.3 percent have an anxiety disorder and 9.6 percent have a behavior disorder. One reason for the prevalence of mental health illness in young people is that one’s genetics and early environment affect their chances of developing a mental illness. The rapid development of the brain that occurs during childhood and adolescence makes it vulnerable to trauma and stress. The pressures associated with growing up, such as school, social media and drugs, can also have an impact on the mental health of young people. There are many ways this problem manifests. For example, more …show more content…
While in 2013, one-in-ten teenagers reported having experienced major depression in the previous year, depression was experienced by three times as many teen girls as teen boys. Mixed-race teens were more likely than other racial groups to have reported a major depressive episode in the previous year. Youth from different racial backgrounds also experiences differences in treatment of mental health issues. Children and teens from low-income households are also more likely to have mental health disorders. Eighty-eight percent of Latino youth have mental health issues that have not been treated. While 33 percent of white youth receive mental health services, only thirteen percent of children of color do. This contrasts with 77 percent for Black youth and 76 percent for White youth. Twenty-one percent of low-income youth have mental health disorders. Children and teens in the child welfare system and the juvenile justice system are much more likely than the general population to have a mental health