New CDC Data Illuminates Youth Mental Health Threats During Pandemic

New CDC analyses shine additional light on the mental health of US high school students during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a disproportionate level of threats that some students experienced. According to the new data, in 2021, more than a third (37%) of high school students reported they experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 44% reported they persistently felt sad or hopeless during the past year. More than half (55%) reported they experienced emotional abuse by a parent or other adult in the home, including swearing at, insulting, or putting down the student. Before the pandemic, mental health was getting worse among high school students.