Mental Health Services: What Boosts Teen Mental Health?
It’s not often that the world gets to hear from teens about what boosts their mental health. A new report from Crisis Text Line and Common Good Labs aims to provide exactly that insight at a time when people, including lawmakers, are scrambling for solutions to the youth mental health crisis.
What Do Teens Say Helps Their Mental Health?
The top resource that one in five texters resoundingly said improved their well-being was social connection. Versions of that, like connecting with a mentor or coach, helped them navigate turmoil and crisis. Secondly, they said that music, writing, and visual and performing arts helped them through difficult moments. Mental health services were the third most commonly mentioned resource among texters, followed by exercise and sports programs, then books and audiobooks, and finally, outdoor spaces and nature.
The Importance of In-Person Social Connection
Dr. Mitch Prinstein, chief science officer of the American Psychological Association, said the report provides unique insight into how teens are coping with mental health challenges. Prinstein, who studies youth psychological development and was not involved in the research, said the findings underscore the vital importance of in-person social connection for teens.
The Role of Funding Cuts
The report notes that independent research demonstrates how each type of resource has been linked to improved mental health. However, the data also highlights the impact of funding cuts on vital programs. Local governments cut parks funding by more than $2.5 billion between 2010 and 2021. Per capita spending on local libraries in 2021 decreased by 5 percent over the same time period. Teen participation in meaningful in-person activities has also plummeted, with 1.5 million fewer children in clubs in 2020 compared to 2009, and 1.8 million fewer high school students playing sports in 2021 compared to 2009.
Conclusion
The report’s findings highlight the urgent need for lawmakers to prioritize funding for programs that support teen mental health, such as after-school programming, libraries, parks, and music and arts education. It also underscores the importance of in-person social connection and the need for high-quality mental health information and services.
FAQs
Q: What was the methodology used in the report?
A: The report analyzed 87,000 anonymized conversations between Crisis Text Line’s volunteer crisis counselors and youth texters that took place from 2019 through 2022.
Q: What were the top resources mentioned by texters as helping their mental health?
A: The top resources mentioned were social connection, music, writing, and visual and performing arts, followed by mental health services, exercise and sports programs, books and audiobooks, and outdoor spaces and nature.
Q: What are the implications of the report’s findings?
A: The report’s findings highlight the urgent need for lawmakers to prioritize funding for programs that support teen mental health, such as after-school programming, libraries, parks, and music and arts education.
