Teenagers worry about school, mental health and climate change: survey

A sweeping survey of Australian teenagers has exposed the greatest issues for adolescent angst – and some of the results are surprising.

Teenage girls are more likely than boys to suffer mental health problems. Picture: Istock

School stress sits atop the list of teenage angst, with one in three planning to take a “gap year’’ ­before going to university, a new survey of nearly 20,000 young Australians reveals.

Mission Australia’s annual youth survey found that half the 15 to 19-year-olds surveyed nominated school as the “biggest personal challenge’’ this year.

Girls were more likely than boys to describe it as a challenge.

A quarter of teenagers cited mental health as their biggest challenge, with stress and anxiety the main issues.

Relationship problems – most often with family – was the biggest personal challenge for one in five teenagers.

Body image was a serious concern for 39 per cent of girls, who were three times more likely than boys to worry about their looks.

Girls were twice as likely as boys to be highly concerned about suicide. Crime and safety has also emerged as a major concern, cited by almost one in five teenagers in this year’s survey.

The environment tops the list of important issues for half of girls and 36 per cent of boys.

The environment is a key concern for Australian children and teenagers. Picture: Justin Kennedy

“Equity and discrimination’’ emerged as the second-biggest issue, coinciding with the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum campaign.

Girls were three times more likely than boys to say they had been treated unfairly due to their gender. And nearly a third of teenagers rated the economy and financial matters as a top concern.

“We have seen increased awareness among young people this year about contemporary issues relating to the economy and financial matters, housing and homelessness, and crime, safety and violence,’’ the report states.

It also finds that a quarter of teenagers are suffering “high psychological distress”.

Its conclusion was based on responses by 18,554 teenagers to its Kessler 6 (K6) questionnaire that asked how frequently in the past four weeks they had felt nervous, hopeless, restless or fidgety, worthless, that everything was an effort, or so sad that nothing could cheer them up.

One in three girls, one in seven boys and half of all gender-­diverse teenagers responded with “high psychological distress’’.

Mental health was regarded by teenagers as the biggest obstacle to their success at school – even more important than their academic ability.

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