The reason North Carolina students’ mental health is finally on the rise

Recent data from the 2023 NC Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) reveals a positive trend in both mental health and physical activity among North Carolina students. This marks a reversal of the declining trends observed over the past decade.

Mental health improvements

The surveys show a significant decrease in students reporting feelings of sadness or hopelessness. For high school students, this figure dropped from 43% in 2021 to 39% in 2023. Middle school students saw a similar improvement, with reports decreasing from 35% to 32%. Additionally, the percentage of high school students who seriously considered suicide in the past year fell from 22% to 18%.

Increased physical activity

Physical activity levels have also seen a notable uptick. Among high school students, 42% reported being physically active for at least 60 minutes on five or more days a week, up from 34% in 2021. Middle school students showed even greater improvement, with 52% reporting similar activity levels, compared to 44% in 2021.

Social media and substance use

The surveys, which included questions about social media for the first time, found that over 80% of high school students use social media several times a day. On a positive note, the use of vape products, marijuana, and alcohol is declining among high school students, while cigarette smoking remains at a low 4%.

Policy considerations

Deputy State Superintendent Michael Maher expressed optimism about the results, stating, “It is so encouraging to see that students are not only recovering from the effects of the pandemic, but in many cases doing better than they were in 2019 and before.”

Ellen Essick, section chief for NC Healthy Schools, emphasized the link between physical activity and mental health, noting, “Students can’t reach their full potential in the classroom if they are not mentally and physically well. Giving them more access to exercise during the school day should ultimately result in better academic outcomes.”

In light of these findings, the State Board of Education recently considered an amendment to the Healthy Active Children Policy. The amendment was approved in July. The change encourages high schools to offer students 60 minutes of physical activity per week.

The policy and its new amendment allow for an increased focus on student well-being in North Carolina schools. To learn more about the policy, click here.