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1. RESEARCH
Teenage Mental Heath

2. "A quarter of girls and nearly one in 10 boys show signs of depression at the age of 14, say
UK researchers," this line stated by the BCC reveals the large number of young teenagers
experience some kind of depression and that mental health including depression is very
common in both genders. The article also reveals that the child’s parent is most likely to
underestimate the stress their daughters are under and would have concerns about their
son’s that did not voice their own concerns. It is also apparent that being from a poorer
background or being mixed or having a white ethnic background appears to raise the risk.
The Millennium Cohort Study survey suggests:
■ Teenage girls report more anxiety and depressive symptoms than boys
■ 14-year-olds from poorer socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to report
depressive symptoms than peers from better-off families
■ Boys from mixed and other ethnic groups are at a greater risk of depressive symptoms
■ Bangladeshi and Indian boys are the least likely to report these symptoms

3. Factors which could contribute include:
■ Worries about body image
■ Exam Stress
■ Family Issues
■ Bullying
■ Drug abuse
■ Low self-esteem
■ Poverty
■ Peer rejection

4. ■ “One in four British girls has depression at the age of 14 as experts
blame the increase in cyber bullying and academic pressure," says the
Sun after a large study found 24% of 14 year-old girls in the UK report
symptoms of depression.
■ New research shows that half of teenage boys in the UK would not feel
comfortable talking to their dads about their mental health (including
stress, anxiety and depression). This is due to feeling like their dad
doesn’t talk about his feelings and 31% said they wouldn’t want to
annoy or disturb them. A survey revealed that 37% of young men chose
to ‘put a brave face on’ when struggling with mental health problems
and 33% would rather keep it to themselves.
■ It is apparent that half of all cases of adult mental health illness start at
14 years old.
■ Cat Perrin who is 20, is a student nurse and has had mental health
problems since being a teenager. She has stated to the BBC, “When I
was 14 I was really low, a bit hopeless... I kind of isolated myself a bit. I
felt constant pressure to be better than I was. I got really down and
anxious.” She believes teenagers are struggling with mental health
issues because of the influence of social media. "There's this constant
pressure to see how many people are better or prettier than you. There
is pressure to do well at school, get a good job, be financially stable -
but at the end of the day, they're just children."

5. ■ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/12/boy-killed-bullied-good-looking-
inquest-told/
■ https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/sep/05/students-mental-ill-
health-toxic-world
Case Studies:
Teen Mental Illness