About one in six U.S. adolescents ages 12 to 20 report moderate to severe anxiety symptoms, according to a study published Oct. 12 in JAMA Pediatrics. Among those with severe symptoms, nearly two-thirds also met criteria for a major depressive episode in the past year, and almost half reported suicidal thoughts.
The findings come from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the first year the federal survey included anxiety questions. That makes the study a starting point for tracking teen anxiety nationally, not proof that anxiety is rising or falling.
