Mental Health in Children: More Than Just a Phase 1

Mental Health in Children: More Than Just a Phase

By

Darrah Meyer

Campbell County Schools Senior Research Project

April 25th, 2021

Introduction/Problem Statement

I have always wanted to make the world a better place, and I soon realized that the best

way to do that is to help people with their problems, even if it’s a problem that no one else can

see. After I graduate, I want to pursue a career in psychology and mental health, specifically in

children. There is a huge stigma around mental health in general, but in children specifically, and

it often gets overlooked. I wanted to do research in order to find more information on why

children’s mental health is important and why there shouldn’t be a stigma surrounding the topic.

If more people take the time to learn about mental illnesses and what causes them, there would

be a greater understanding of mental health issues and there would be less judgement and

stigmas surrounding mental health. With more knowledge about this topic, there would be more

universal understanding within the world

Literature Review

Has Children’s Mental Health Improved or Declined Over Time?

From 2003 to 2012, the rate in which children were diagnosed with anxiety and

depression rose from 5.4% to 8.4%. (CDC, 2021). Children are receiving diagnoses for mental

health issues more today than they were 15 years ago. A survey conducted in 2016 found that as

many as 1 in 6 children between the ages of 6 and 17 suffer from a treatable mental health issue

(Devitt, 2019). That is a saddening statistic. The mental health of children is very important

because children are the future. Today’s children are the leaders, workers, teachers, politicians
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and even the presidents of the future. Without more advocacy for their mental health, their lives

are on a predetermined path to failure.

What Caused the Increase in Mental Illness in Children?

Amid the Coronavirus pandemic, universal mental illness was at an all time high,

especially that of children. Children were uncertain about their future and the inability of their

parents to affirm any future plans. The added strain on the parents caused less focus on the

children and their mental health. During the peak of COVID-19, a survey was conducted among

high school juniors and seniors in China and found that nearly 44% of participants had

depression symptoms while almost 38% had symptoms of anxiety (Wagner, 2020). Children

function the best with a set schedule and structure in their daily routine, a lifestyle which was

prohibited by the pandemic. The suddening restructuring of society to include social distancing

and masks was harmful to the children who were in need of structure in their lives.

In addition to the pandemic being harmful to children’s mental health, researchers believe

that the increased use of electronic devices and social media have also played a role in the

increased rate of mental illness in children and adolescents. Though the mental health issues

have increased over the years for children, there has been almost no correspondence in adults,

and there has even been a decrease in mental illness in individuals aged 65 and older (American

Psychological Association, 2019).The increased use of electronic devices and social media has

caused a shift in the way that young people socialize, which can be more harmful than helpful.

Due to the time frame of the mental health increases, researchers believe that the most likely

cause for the increase are social/cultural changes, which are caused by social media and the use

of electronic devices. The positive of this being the cause is that electronic usage can be reduced
Mental Health in Children: More Than Just a Phase 4

easily, and scientists and researchers are hoping for a decline in mental illness in the future

(American Psychological Association, 2019).

Is Children’s Mental Health More or Less Important Than the Mental Health of Adults?

75% of adults with mental illness report having symptoms of their illness as a child or

adolescent. Without proper treatment, children’s mental illness can easily continue on well into

adulthood, causing the individual to be a sufferer of this mental illness for much longer than

necessary (Tolan & Dodge, 2009). If these children are able to receive the mental help that they

need, there would be less mentally ill adults. Society as a whole could be improved by assistance

to mentally ill children and adolescents.

Helping to improve the mental health of children is simpler than it may seem, as many

small behaviors can build good mental health in children. Encouraging children to play and

providing them with playmates can help them learn socialization faster, and can help to improve

mental health. Starting children in school early can also help them. Proper discipline and

punishment and providing a safe environment for a child to express themselves can also greatly

improve mental health. While the physical needs of children are far more obvious than the

mental needs, they are just as important (Mental Health America,

Learning Explanation

Doing the research for this project hasn’t been easy. There isn’t a ton of information about

mental health and children, but I think that it’s just as important as the mental health of adults, if

not more important. In my future career, mental illness in children is going to be my whole

career and my main focus, so it’s truly something that I’m passionate about. I believe that

helping children to do the best that they can and to excel in every way possible, I can help to
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pave the path for their bright future and make the world a better place. Even if I only help one

person or help one person to have a better day, I’m changing their life and making them have a

positive outlook, even if it’s just for a day.

References

American Psychological Association. “Mental Health Issues Increased Significantly in Young

Adults over Last Decade.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 15 Mar. 2019,

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190315110908.htm.

CDC. “Data and Statistics on Children's Mental Health.” Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 22 Mar. 2021,

www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/data.html#:~:text=Depression%20and%20anxiety%

20have%20increased,8.4%25%20in%202011%E2%80%932012.&text=%E2%80%9CEv

er%20having%20been%20diagnosed%20with%20anxiety%E2%80%9D%20increased%

20from%205.5%25,6.4%25%20in%202011%E2%80%932012.

Mental Health America. “What Every Child Needs For Good Mental Health.” Mental Health

America,

www.mhanational.org/what-every-child-needs-good-mental-health#:~:text=Good%20me

ntal%20health%20allows%20children,healthy%20emotional%20outlook%20on%20life.

Devitt, Michael. “Study: One in Six U.S. Children Has a Mental Illness.” AAFP Home, 18 Mar.

2019, www.aafp.org/news/health-of-the-public/20190318childmentalillness.html.
Mental Health in Children: More Than Just a Phase 6

Tolan, Patrick H, and Kenneth A Dodge. “Children's Mental Health as a Primary Care and

Concern: a System for Comprehensive Support and Service.” The American

Psychologist, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Sept. 2005,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2745240/.

Wagner, Karen. “New Findings About Children's Mental Health During COVID-19.” Psychiatric

Times, 7 Oct. 2020,

www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/new-findings-children-mental-health-covid-19.