Health

Sounding the alarm: parent perceptions of teen mental health in the US

May 11, 2022

Global

Sounding the alarm: parent perceptions of teen mental health in the US

May 11, 2022

Global
Amanda Stucke

Principal, Health Policy & Insights, Economist Impact

Amanda is a principal in the Health Policy & Insights Practice at Economist Impact, based in London. She collaborates within a global, multidisciplinary team to lead and deliver robust, high-visibility research and analysis programs across the public and private global health ecosystem. Her main area of focus is unlocking the potential of health to drive growth and development at the population level, including across topics such as ageing, healthspan and longevity; health security; AMR; health investment and finance; workforce wellbeing; and social and commercial determinants of health.

Amanda brings approaches such as systems thinking and design, strategic foresight, policy and comparative analysis, economic modelling, decision science, and translational research and writing to bridge the gap between evidence and practice. Prior to joining Economist Impact, she led a major health innovation initiative for the Surgeon General of the US Navy, and executed an economic study of cancer screening with the Ministry of Health in Greenland. Amanda has led and contributed to other global health initiatives in countries such as Brazil, Bangladesh and Haiti.

Amanda holds a masters degree in Health Policy & Clinical Practice from the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. She has also received training as a foresight practitioner from the School of International Futures.

Sounding the alarm: parent perceptions of teen mental health in the US is an article highlighting the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for teens, and the ripple effect for parents, families and communities. This article captures data from 1,100 US parents about their perceptions of how COVID-19 has impacted teen mental health.

Despite receiving more attention in recent years, research shows an increasing number of teens dealing with mental health challenges. The 1,100 US parents surveyed for this study reinforced COVID-19’s acceleration of mental health challenges among US teens. Nearly 80% of parents reported new or increased signals of potential mental health issues from their teen, including anxiety, depression and/or behavioral issues. 

Mental health issues not only affect the lives of teens directly, but also create a ripple effect for families, friends and the wider community. Parents are acutely affected in terms of increased challenges with their own mental health, financial strain and new issues at work due to their teen’s mental health issues. 

As we look to the future, it is clear that many different stakeholders will need to collaborate to manage the rising teen mental health crisis, particularly to support the impacts that parents are facing. It is imperative for public and private stakeholders to come together to address teen mental health issues to ensure a healthier, more resilient future for all.

 

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