Study Reveals One in Six U.S. Adolescents Experience Moderate to Severe Anxiety Symptoms

This study draws on data from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, marking the first year the federal survey included questions about anxiety, and thus establishing a baseline for tracking adolescent anxiety trends in the future.

One significant finding is the treatment gap: about 48% of adolescents with moderate anxiety and 41% of those with severe symptoms indicated they did not receive any mental health services in the past year.

The analysis involved self-reported responses from 15,730 adolescents using the GAD-7 screening tool, which classifies anxiety symptoms as mild, moderate, or severe. Results showed that 23.7% experienced mild symptoms, 9.6% moderate, and 7.2% severe, leading to a combined total of approximately 16.8% affected by moderate to severe symptoms. Among those with severe symptoms, 65.8% also had major depressive episodes, 48.2% reported suicidal thoughts, and 31.0% indicated substance use in the past month.

T. Greg Rhee, a professor of public health sciences at the University of Connecticut and the study's last author, noted that the survey will help track anxiety trends and disparities in mental health care access.

Notably, female adolescents reported moderate anxiety symptoms at more than twice the rate of males, with figures showing 13.4% for females compared to 6.0% for males. The gap for severe symptoms was even broader, at 10.8% among females and 3.7% among males.

Access to mental health care was also uneven, with male, Black, and uninsured adolescents being more likely to report not receiving treatment. Possible barriers may include stigma, a shortage of child mental health professionals, financial constraints, and limited access to culturally appropriate services. Dr. Chanelle Ramsubick, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, mentioned that many children may not articulate their internal struggles effectively, making anxiety easy to overlook.

The study is cross-sectional, providing a snapshot in time rather than demonstrating causative links between anxiety and issues like depression or substance use. Additionally, self-reported data may include underreporting of sensitive symptoms, and the survey does not encompass adolescents in institutional settings. As this was the first year anxiety was assessed, it does not allow comparisons to previous years, but future cycles may help to clarify trends.

For parents, recognizing signs of anxiety is crucial. Typical indicators may include persistent worry, irritability, trouble sleeping, and physical symptoms like headaches. Maintaining open communication with children, keeping routines, and seeking professional guidance during well-child visits can be beneficial.

Families facing challenges accessing care can turn to school counselors or community health facilities. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides a resource at FindTreatment.gov for locating local providers. In emergencies where a teen expresses suicidal thoughts or significant behavioral changes, it is vital to contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or call 911 immediately.