Study: Nearly 25 Percent of Australian Teens Endure Severe Distress
(MENAFN) An Australian study reveals that close to one in four high school students endure serious psychological distress, with depression and anxiety intensifying as they move through adolescence.
From the outset of high school, girls reported greater levels of distress, anxiety, and depression than boys, with symptoms escalating faster—especially among teens from disadvantaged backgrounds, a statement from the Public Health Association of Australia detailed on Wednesday.
Tracking over 6,600 students from 71 schools annually between Year 7 and Year 10, the research found that by Year 10, almost 30% of surveyed teens showed symptoms of major depression.
Nearly one in four reported high psychological distress or moderate-to-severe anxiety, the release confirmed.
Scarlett Smout, the study’s lead author from the University of Sydney’s Matilda Center for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, warned the prevalence of mental health problems is “alarmingly common,” and noted symptoms worsen as adolescents age.
Published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, the study underscores the urgent requirement for focused prevention and support programs targeting girls and disadvantaged youths. It brands adolescent mental health as a mounting public health emergency and emphasizes boosting research and funding for preventative measures.
To address this crisis, the Public Health Association of Australia will hold a Mental Health Prevention and Promotion conference in March 2026, designed to deepen understanding and develop solutions for youth mental health challenges.
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