91st review

Today’s Youth: Anxious, depressed, anti social.

The mental health of teenager has sharply declined in the last 25 years and the chances that 15-year-olds will have behavioral problem such as lying, stealing, and being disobedient, have more than doubled. The rate of emotional problems such as anxiety and depression has increased by 70% among adolescents, according to the biggest time trend study conducted in Britain. Boys are more likely to exhibit behavioral problems and girls are more likely to suffer emotional problems. The rate is higher for emotional problems, now running at one in five of 15-year-old girls.

The study found no increase in aggressive behavior, such as fighting and bullying and no increase in rates of hyperactivity. The research found that the rising rate of 15-year-olds with the behavioral problems correlated to their increased chances of experiencing a range poor outcomes as adults, such as homelessness, being sacked, dependency on benefits and poor mental and physical health.\

The study looked at 3 generations of 15 years old, in 1974, 1986, and 1999. Behavioral problems increased over the whole period, while emotional problems were stable until 1986 and have subsequently shot up.