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According to the 2022 YouthTruth survey, over 50% of students reported depression, anxiety, and chronic stress as barriers to learning. Mental health plays a key role in student success, and teens struggling with mental health challenges often face poor academic outcomes [1].
There are several ways that mental health can affect academic performance in students, such as causing a lack of motivation, low self-esteem, or trouble focusing. It’s important for schools to understand the challenges students face to implement strategies that increase the well-being of their students and ensure their academic success.
Read on to understand common mental health challenges in students, how this affects their academic performance, and what schools can do to support student mental health.
Common Mental Health Problems in Students
According to the World Health Organization, most mental health disorders begin to emerge around the age of 14. Teens are at a higher risk of developing a mental health disorder due to a variety of factors, including biological changes, surging hormones, social influence, and pressure from school [2].
Over 40% of students across the US aged 12-17 struggle with a mental health disorder. Unresolved mental health problems during adolescence can cause long-term effects that impact teens into adulthood, such as impaired relationships, work instability, and even chronic disease [3].
According to the 2024 Youth Survey by Mental Health America, some of the most common mental health challenges faced by students include [4]:
- Anxiety: Over 30%
- Chronic Stress: 30% of students
- Depression: 20.17%
- ADHD: Almost 9%
- Sleep disorders: Nearly 20%
- Over 3.4 million youth have serious thoughts of suicide
Warning Signs
It’s important for parents, teachers, and anyone who works with youth to recognize some of the common warning signs of mental health problems so they can provide early intervention and help them get treated. Signs include:
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The Relationship Between School and Mental Health
Outside of the home, teens spend the majority of their developing lives in a classroom setting. School and teen mental health is a two-way relationship—meaning school impacts their mental health, and a teen’s mental health affects their academic functioning.
There are several ways in which school can affect teen mental health. Academic pressure, in particular, is the number one stressor reported by teens that increases their anxiety and stress levels. Other factors include relationships with peers, experiencing bullying or discrimination, and struggling with a learning disorder [4].
Schools can also feel the burden if students are struggling with their mental health [5]. Some of these effects include:
- Lower standardized test scores
- Higher levels of student violence
- High staff turnover
- Lower graduation rates
- Low attendance
Does Mental Health Impact Academic Performance?
Mental health challenges can affect every area of a student’s life, including their academic performance. If teens struggle to manage stress levels or fall asleep at night, they will have trouble concentrating in class.
Teens who suffer from depression may have low confidence or little motivation to complete tasks. Anxiety can make it challenging to take tests, study, or even attend class. Teens with ADHD or other learning disabilities may struggle to retain information, focus, or finish their work.
When left unaddressed, mental health problems in teens can affect more than just their academic performance. They can cause several negative outcomes, such as:
- Inability to make friends
- Increased absences
- Higher rates of suspension or expulsion
- Trouble with law enforcement
How To Support Student Mental Health
Teens should feel supported at home and in school to increase their chances of long-term success. Teens often hesitate to reach out for help due to fear, stigma, or shame. It’s important for both parents and schools to work together to build seamless communication with teens and increase their access to support.
What Parents Can Do
Some of the ways parents can support their teen’s mental health include:
- Have active, open conversations about mental health in the home
- Actively listen to their concerns and validate what they are feeling
- Model healthy coping strategies such as journaling, yoga, and meditation
- Encourage teens to get involved with an extracurricular activity
- Support them with their learning and academic development (flashcards, learning apps, investing in a tutor if necessary)
- Ensure they get enough sleep (recommended 8-10 hours per night)
- Collaborate with the school (guidance counselors, teachers, coaches, etc) to ensure an open line of communication
- Reach out for professional mental health support
What Schools Can Do
Along with collaborating with parents, there are several other ways schools can support their students. Some of these include:
- Increase access to in-school mental health services
- Ensure guidance counselors are in every district
- Train staff to recognize warning signs of mental health problems
- Host events to promote mental health awareness
- Train teachers in harm prevention and de-escalation for mental health crises
- Make mental health a key component of the health curriculum
Supporting Teen Mental Health in Texas
At Clearfork Academy, our team of licensed mental health professionals understands the complex nature of mental health disorders in teens. We offer comprehensive mental health support, such as residential treatment and intensive outpatient programs, to help teens build coping skills for positive mental health outcomes.
Contact our admissions team today to see how we can support your teen.
Sources
[1] YouthTruth Survey. 2022. National Center for Safe Supportive Learning Environments.
[2] Mental Health of Adolescents. 2024. World Health Organization.
[3] CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH. 2019. National Institute of Health.
[4] Academic Stress and Adolescents Mental Health. 2020. National Library of Medicine.
[5] Consequences of Student Mental Health Issues. Suicide Prevention Resource Center.
Mike grew up on a dairy farm in Parker County, Texas. At the age of 59, he went back to college and graduated 41 years after his first graduation from Weatherford College. God placed on his heart at that time the passion to begin to help others as they walked from addictions, alcoholism, and abuse of substances. He is a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and in the past few years he has worn many hats, from intake and assessment, group counseling, individual and family counseling, intensive outpatient and now he is working with clients, therapist, and families on discharge planning and aftercare. He also coordinates our Alumni Outreach Program.
