Thoughts of suicide among U.S. high school students declined steadily from 1991 to 2009, then reversed and rose from 2009 through 2021, according to an analysis presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2026 National Conference in San Diego. The research also found that suicide attempts and persistent sadness began rising during the same period.
For parents, the findings add important context to recent good news. Federal surveys show teen mental health improved between 2023 and 2025. This analysis suggests that improvement follows roughly a dozen years of worsening, which means many teens are still recovering from a long decline.
