SYDNEY: (Bernama-Xinhua) Nearly one in four high school students experience serious psychological distress, with depression and anxiety surging as they progress through adolescence, Xinhua reported, quoting an Australian study.
Girls experienced higher levels of distress, anxiety, and depression than boys from the start of high school, with symptoms worsening more rapidly over time, especially among those from disadvantaged backgrounds, according to a release from the Public Health Association of Australia on Wednesday (June 18).
The research followed more than 6,600 students from 71 schools, surveying them annually from Year 7 to Year 10. By Year 10, nearly 30 per cent of Australian teens surveyed showed signs of major depression, and almost one in four reported high psychological distress or moderate-to-severe anxiety, the release said.
The prevalence of mental health issues is "alarmingly common," and symptoms worsened as students aged, said the study's lead author Scarlett Smout from the University of Sydney's Matilda Center for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use.
Published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, the study highlighted the urgent need for targeted prevention and support programmes for girls and disadvantaged teens, calling adolescent mental health a growing public health crisis and stressing the importance of increased research and investment in prevention.
The Public Health Association of Australia will host a new Mental Health Prevention and Promotion conference in March 2026, aiming to advance understanding and solutions for youth mental health challenges. - Bernama-Xinhua
