What Does the 2023 YRBS Reveal About the Mental Health of High School Students?
The 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that mental health struggles remain widespread among American high school students, though a few numbers improved for the first time in a decade. Nearly 40 percent of students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, about 29 percent reported poor mental health, roughly 20 percent seriously considered attempting suicide, and close to 10 percent attempted suicide during the year before the survey.
Those figures describe a youth mental health crisis that has not resolved, but the 2023 data also carries real hope. Several key indicators ticked down from 2021, and the survey identified protective factors, like feeling connected at school and supported at home, that were linked to meaningfully lower rates of distress. This article breaks down what the survey found, which students were affected most, what improved, and what parents and schools can actually do with the information.
The 2023 YRBS at a Glance
| Detail | Finding |
|---|---|
| Survey | Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) |
| Run by | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| Population | U.S. high school students, grades 9 to 12 |
| Persistent sadness or hopelessness | 39.7% |
| Poor mental health in past 30 days | 28.5% |
| Seriously considered suicide | 20.4% |
| Attempted suicide | 9.5% |
| Most affected | Female and LGBQ+ students |
| Notable trend | First decline in a decade for some measures |
What the YRBS Is
The Youth Risk Behavior Survey is a nationally representative survey the CDC conducts every two years among high school students. It tracks health behaviors and experiences that shape young people’s lives, including mental health, suicide risk, substance use, violence, and safety at school.
Its value comes from consistency. Because the same questions are asked cycle after cycle, the survey lets researchers see whether things are getting better or worse over time rather than guessing from headlines. The 2023 cycle also asked new questions, including how often students use social media and whether they have experienced racism at school.
The Four Core Mental Health Findings
The 2023 results centered on four indicators, and the scale of each is worth sitting with.
Put in plainer terms, roughly one in three students said their mental health was poor most or all of the time in the previous month. More than one in three felt sad or hopeless for two weeks or longer, to the point of stopping usual activities. One in five had seriously considered suicide, and nearly one in ten had attempted it.
Who Was Affected Most
The prevalence was high across every demographic group, but the burden was far from evenly shared. Two groups stood out sharply.
| Group | What the survey found |
|---|---|
| Female students | About twice as likely as male students to report each mental health and suicide risk indicator |
| LGBQ+ students | Two to three times as likely as heterosexual peers to report these indicators |
| Racial and ethnic groups | Differences varied by indicator, warranting further study |
Among female students specifically, 53 percent reported persistent sadness or hopelessness and 27 percent seriously considered attempting suicide. Researchers connect the elevated risk among LGBQ+ students to stress from rejection, marginalization, discrimination, and trauma tied to personal victimization, rather than to anything inherent about the students themselves.
The Good News: Some Numbers Improved
Here is the part that often gets lost in coverage of this survey. Several measures improved between 2021 and 2023, and some did so for the first time in ten years.
| Measure | 2021 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| All students, persistent sadness or hopelessness | 42% | 40% |
| Female students, persistent sadness or hopelessness | 57% | 53% |
| Female students, seriously considered suicide | 30% | 27% |
| Hispanic students, persistent sadness or hopelessness | 46% | 42% |
| Black students, attempted suicide | 14% | 10% |
According to the CDC’s 2023 YRBS results, the country remains in the middle of a youth mental health crisis, but these are promising improvements. The honest framing is that the numbers moved in the right direction while staying far too high, which is a reason for cautious encouragement rather than either panic or complacency.
Where Things Got Worse
Not everything improved, and school safety measures moved the wrong way. The share of students who were bullied at school rose from 15 percent to 19 percent, those threatened or injured with a weapon at school rose from 7 percent to 9 percent, and those who missed school due to safety concerns rose from 9 percent to 13 percent.
These matter for mental health, not just safety. Bullying and feeling unsafe at school are closely tied to sadness, hopelessness, and suicide risk, so a rise in one tends to press on the other.
The Social Media Finding
For the first time, the 2023 survey asked how often students use social media, and the results drew wide attention. Some 77 percent of students reported frequent use, meaning at least several times a day.
Frequent use was associated with higher rates of bullying at school and online, persistent sadness or hopelessness, and some suicide risk indicators, including considering suicide and making a plan. An important caution belongs here. The survey shows association, not proof of cause, and researchers note social media can also connect isolated young people to supportive communities. The finding is a signal worth acting on thoughtfully, not a verdict.
What Protects Students: The Most Useful Finding
The most actionable part of the 2023 report is often overlooked. Every protective factor the CDC examined was linked to lower rates of one or more risk indicators. In other words, the survey did not just measure the problem, it pointed at what helps.
- Feeling close to people at school and a sense of school connectedness.
- Parental monitoring, meaning parents knowing where their teen is and who they are with.
- Having at least one supportive adult in their life.
- Feeling safe in their school and community.
- Having a trusted adult they can talk to about serious problems.
These are not expensive programs. They are relationships. For parents and educators, that is genuinely hopeful news, because it means ordinary connection is a meaningful intervention.
What This Means for Parents in Michigan
For families in Livonia and across metro Detroit, the national picture is a prompt rather than a prediction. Michigan students face the same pressures documented here, and the same protective factors apply.
Practically, that means asking your teen how they are actually doing rather than only how school went, knowing their friends and their online life, and making clear you can hear hard answers without panic. If you notice persistent sadness lasting weeks, withdrawal from friends or activities they loved, big changes in sleep or appetite, or any mention of self-harm, treat it as a reason to reach out to your child’s doctor or a school counselor rather than to wait and watch.
Mental Health Resources
If your teen is struggling, help is available and it works. For immediate support at any hour, you or your child can call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. LGBTQ+ young people can reach the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386, or text START to 678678.
If your child is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. For ongoing care, start with your pediatrician or your school’s counseling staff, both of whom can refer you to a child and adolescent mental health specialist. Michigan families can also contact the state’s community mental health services, which serve youth and families regardless of ability to pay. This article is general information rather than clinical guidance, so please involve a professional for your own situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the 2023 YRBS find about high school students’ mental health?
It found that 39.7 percent experienced persistent sadness or hopelessness, 28.5 percent had poor mental health, 20.4 percent seriously considered suicide, and 9.5 percent attempted suicide in the previous year.
Did anything improve compared with 2021?
Yes. Persistent sadness fell from 42 to 40 percent overall, and several measures declined among female, Hispanic, and Black students, marking the first decade-long decline for some indicators.
Which students are struggling most?
Female students were about twice as likely as male students to report each indicator, and LGBQ+ students were two to three times as likely as heterosexual peers.
What did the survey say about social media?
About 77 percent of students used social media several times a day, and frequent use was associated with more bullying, sadness, and some suicide risk. Association is not proof of cause.
What protects teen mental health?
School connectedness, parental monitoring, feeling safe at school, and having a trusted adult to talk to were all linked to lower rates of distress and suicide risk.
What is the Youth Risk Behavior Survey?
It is a nationally representative CDC survey of high school students, conducted every two years, that tracks mental health, suicide risk, substance use, violence, and school safety over time.
