Trends in Mental and Behavioral Health Risks in Adolescents: 1999-2021

Area of Science:

• Adolescent Health
• Mental Health Research
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Adolescent mental and behavioral health are critical public health concerns.
• Understanding trends and distinct risk profiles is essential for effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify distinct profiles of adolescent mental and behavioral health risks.
• To examine variations in these profiles across cohorts and demographic groups from 1999 to 2021.

Main Methods:

• Latent class analysis of nationally representative data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (N=178,658).
• Analysis of self-reported internalizing symptoms, substance use, sexual risk behaviors, and violence.

Main Results:

• Five distinct adolescent risk profiles were identified: Low Everything, High Internalizing, High Sex, High Everything, and High Substance Use.
• The 'Low Everything' and 'High Internalizing' profiles increased, while 'High Sex,' 'High Everything,' and 'High Substance Use' decreased.
• Demographic variations were observed, with younger adolescents and females more prevalent in 'High Internalizing' and 'High Sex' profiles, respectively.

Conclusions:

• Adolescent mental health risks, especially internalizing problems, have increased, while behavioral risks have generally decreased.
• Findings highlight a growing need for targeted prevention and treatment for specific adolescent populations experiencing mental health challenges.