(KWNO)- According to the 2022 Minnesota Student Survey Conducted by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Minnesota Students reported an unprecedented amount of long-term mental health, behavioral or emotional problems.
More than 135,000 students completed the survey, with most doing so in person at school, between January and June of 2022.
According to the MDH, this group of students showed greater struggles with mental health, such as depression and anxiety, than at any other time in the history of the survey-Which dates back to 1989, occurring every three years.
The 2022 survey was a continuation of an upward trend, with 29% of students reporting long-term mental health problems, compared to 23% in 2019 and 18% in 2016.
The MDH survey says that Female students in 11th grade saw a 10% increase in long-term mental health behavioral or emotional problems, having 45% of girls on the survey experiencing such. 35% was the number reported in 2019.
Male students in the 11th grade reported long-term mental health, behavioral or emotional problems at a 20% clip, only a 2% increase from 2019.
Around 11% of students in 8th grade or higher surveyed identified themselves as transgender, gender fluid, non-binary, unsure, or didn’t answer the gender question. 63% of those students reported long-term mental health, behavioral or emotional problems according to the MDH.
“These results indicate the pandemic fueled and worsened ongoing trends of our teens reporting long-term mental health problems,” said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm. “It will take more research to know the interplay of all the factors, but it is clear that this is a crisis, and Minnesotans, lawmakers, and families need to focus resources and attention in and outside of schools to give our children and their families the connections, supports, stable environments and opportunities they need for a sense of well-being about their lives and futures.”
Another worrisome trend was the increase in reported, serious suicidal thoughts.
11th graders reported having those thoughts at a 28% clip–4% more than in 2019.
The MDH says that LGBQ+ students were about three times more likely than heterosexual students to report seriously considering suicide while four times more likely to attempt suicide. Transgender students in the 11th grade are most likely to attempt suicide and four times more likely than their non-transgender peers.
The good news of the survey is that students reported a drop in usage of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco products and reported a drop in sexual activity.
The drop in the percentage of students who use did not surpass more than 10% but the percentage of students using is under 20% in each category of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco.
“The Minnesota Student Survey continues to provide important data about how students are doing and highlights where we must focus our efforts to support them,” said Minnesota Education Commissioner Heather Mueller. “This year’s survey reveals a clear picture of the continuing need to support student mental and behavioral health. The Department of Education is dedicated to working together with other educators, agencies, and our school communities to better meet the academic, mental health, and behavioral health needs of our students so they can be successful in school and beyond.”
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