The #1 concern among parents? Their children’s mental health, according to a new Pew Research Center survey of 3,757 US parents with children under 18.
Forty percent of parents with minor children said they were “extremely” or “very” worried about their child struggling with anxiety or depression, and 36% reported feeling “a little” worried.
Bullying was the second biggest concern, with 35% of parents reporting that they are “extremely” or “very” concerned and 39% reporting that they are somewhat concerned.
Mothers were more likely than fathers to express concern about most issues surveyed, including their children’s mental health. There were also differences along the lines of race and socioeconomic status. While bullying was the No. 1 concern for Black parents and a close second for Asian parents, Black and Asian parents expressed lower levels of overall concern relative to White and Hispanic parents.
Children’s mental health was the #1 concern across all income levels, although parents with higher income levels expressed less concern overall across all categories. Thirty-two percent of high-income parents reported feeling concerned about their child’s mental health, compared with 48 percent of low-income parents.
“It is surprising that mental health is at the top of parents’ list of concerns above children’s physical safety,” said Rachel Minkin, Pew research associate and lead author of the report.
It is difficult to compare the results of these surveys with previous years, as these exact questions, with the same wording, have not been asked before.
In a 2015 survey, at least half of parents fear that their children may suffer from anxiety and depression at some point. In a 2019 survey of teens, 70% listed anxiety and depression as a “big problem” — the highest number of any other problem in that particular survey.
“What we can say is this is a pre-pandemic concern,” Minkin said.
The results were not surprising to pediatricians who spoke with The 19th.
“During the [COVID-19] Pandemic, we’ve seen rising rates of depression and anxiety,” said Chase Anderson, a pediatric psychiatrist and assistant professor at the University of California San Francisco.
In particular, Anderson highlighted the increased isolation due to school closures in 2020 and 2021. However, for some students, reopening schools may not improve mental health.
“Being back in school doesn’t mean kids aren’t still dealing with the trauma of social isolation they felt before,” Anderson said.
Anderson also highlighted the specific struggles that LGBTQ+ students and students of color may face when returning to school. There was no specific data in the Pew survey on LGBTQ+ Americans, but evidence shows that LGBTQ+ youth are at greater risk of depression and anxiety than their peers, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
“For many children, schools have not always been safe spaces. … We want to have a more granular and nuanced view for each child,” he said.
Anderson also drew attention to the impact of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in particular. Recent Trevor Project research indicates that the national conversation about LGBTQ+ issues, including laws regulating bathroom use, athletics, and what can and cannot be discussed in schools, may be negatively impacting the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth.
“Kids are seeing things on the news that are causing them stress,” he said.
Hina Talib, a pediatrician who specializes in adolescent medicine, pointed out that increased concern for mental health may not be entirely negative, as it also brings greater awareness.
“It’s refreshing to see more parents coming in and wondering if we can get checked for anxiety and depression on their next visit. That didn’t happen very often in a pediatrician’s office until five or six years ago,” she said.
According to Anderson and Talib, parents may be the first to notice changes in their children’s behavior.
“Are they acting unusually or without explanation? Sometimes children are more withdrawn. Another is that before puberty, depression really shows up more as irritability or anger,” Anderson said.
So what can parents who are concerned about their child’s mental health do?
Talib emphasized the importance of talking to teens about mental health early and often, and being sensitive to young people’s emotions.
“Try not to invalidate. Try to lead with empathy. You really want to be able to listen more than you talk. Ask if they want to vent or if they would like some advice. You are asking permission to help or come up with a plan,” Talib said.
Anderson recommended making mental health discussions a normal part of family conversations. He noted that there is still a lot of stigma surrounding discussions of mental health in American society.
“In your house, how do you talk about mental health? Is it stigmatized? Are you saying, ‘Just accept it and do it?’ or are you saying, ‘I know this is hard for you. I’m here with you as you go through this difficult situation. I’m here to talk about it,’” he said.
Both recommended that parents concerned about their child’s mental health contact their pediatrician. Schools may also have resources to support children with mental health difficulties if a therapist or doctor is not readily available.
“Approach a school counselor or other type of community member who does counseling through a faith group or a church — anywhere you can find someone to talk to and connect with about feelings,” Talib said.
This story was originally published on January 24, 2023, until the 19th.