Depression is becoming increasingly common among American teens, especially teen girls, who are nearly three times more likely than teen boys to have recently experienced depression.
Thirteen percent of U.S. teens ages 12 to 17 (3.2 million people) say they experienced at least one major episode of depression in the past year, up from 8% (2 million people) in 2007, a new Pew Research Center survey has found. 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
One in five teenage girls (about 2.4 million) experienced at least one major depressive episode (the proxy for depression used in this analysis) in the past year in 2017. By comparison, 7% of teenage boys (845,000) experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past 12 months.
The total number of teens who recently experienced depression increased by 59% between 2007 and 2017. The increase is higher among teen girls (66%) than boys (44%).
While teenage girls are more likely than boys to suffer from depression, they are also more likely to seek treatment, either by seeing a professional or taking medication. Of teenage girls who have recently experienced depression, 45% had been treated for depression in the past year. In contrast, only 33% of teenage boys who had recently experienced depression had received treatment.
The number of adults who experienced depression also increased, from 14.8 million in 2007 to 17.3 million in 2017, but the percentage remained the same (7%). Adults’ experiences of depression also differed by gender (9% women vs. 5% men).
Adults who have experienced depression are more likely to seek treatment than teenagers: Nearly two-thirds (67%) of adults who have recently experienced depression have sought treatment, and women (72%) who have recently experienced depression are more likely to seek treatment than men (58%).
Teens express concern about anxiety and depression among their peers and feel pressured daily
According to a fall 2018 Pew Research Center survey of 13- to 17-year-olds, one in seven American teens said anxiety and depression are a big problem for people their age in their area, while an additional 26% said anxiety and depression are a minor problem.
Nearly one in three teens (29%) say they feel nervous or anxious about the day every or almost every day, and 45% say they feel nervous or anxious sometimes. Nearly one in three teen girls (36%) say they feel this way every or almost every day, compared with 23% of teen boys.
Academic and social pressures Among the reasons The Center’s survey cites experts who have studied teen depression. Teens were asked about the pressures they face in their daily lives. Nearly one in six teens (61%) said they personally feel strong pressure to get good grades, and about three in three (29% and 28%, respectively) said they feel strong pressure to look good and fit in.
In this analysis, 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality.
“Major depressive episode” is used as a proxy for depression throughout this analysis, so this term and “depression” are used interchangeably.Major depressive episode“Depression” is defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) as a period of at least two weeks of low mood, loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities, and the presence of most of the specific symptoms of depression. In the NSDUH survey, “treatment” for depression was defined as any visit or consultation with a medical or alternative service professional or the use of prescription medication for depression in the past year.
Source: Generation Z – Research and data from Pew Research Center – www.pewresearch.org
