The mental health of North Carolina students is showing signs of improvement, which may be due in part to increased physical activity, according to the 2023 North Carolina Youth Risk Behavior Survey, presented to the North Carolina State Board of Education on June 5. The data marks a positive change after nearly a decade of declines in indicators of physical activity and mental health.
The North Carolina Middle School Risk Behavior Survey and the North Carolina High School Risk Behavior Survey are administered every two years to a randomly selected, representative sample of students. The surveys are anonymous and parents can opt out of having their children participate in a survey, although in the past the survey questions have raised parental concerns.
The latest data shows a marked improvement since the 2021 survey, the first conducted since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The percentage of high school students who reported feeling sad or hopeless decreased from 43% in 2021 to 39% in 2023. For middle school students, the percentage who felt sad or hopeless decreased from 35% to 32% during the same period. The percentage of high school students who seriously considered suicide in the past year decreased from 22% in 2021 to 18% in 2023. This figure is still up from 16% in 2015.
As Carolina Journal previously reported, the suicide rate among youth ages 10 to 17 reached its highest level in 2021 in the past two decades.
“It is extremely encouraging to see that students are not only recovering from the impacts of the pandemic, but in many cases, performing better than they did prior to 2019,” Michael Maher, the state’s deputy superintendent overseeing standards, accountability and research, said in a statement.
The survey also found that use of e-cigarette products, marijuana and alcohol declined among high school students, while cigarette smoking stagnated at an all-time low of 4 percent. There were no significant changes in prescription painkiller use or bullying.
Given the growing role of technology in students’ lives, this year’s survey included a question about social media use for the first time. Survey results show that more than 80% of high school students use social media multiple times a day, with roughly half checking their accounts at least once an hour. Usage rates are slightly lower among middle school students, with 63% using social media multiple times a day.
Students’ physical activity levels are also on the rise: 42% of high school students report being physically active for 60 minutes or more five days a week, up from 34% in 2021. Among middle school students, 52% report being physically active for 60 minutes or more five days a week, up from 44% in 2021.
Ellen Essick, director of the North Carolina Division of Healthy Schools, noted that the positive impact of exercise on mental health is well documented. A proposed amendment to the existing Healthy Active Kids policy has been presented to the state board, expanding the current requirement of 30 minutes of physical activity per day for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The proposed amendment would encourage high schools to offer students 60 minutes of physical activity per week.
“We’ve heard time and time again from school leaders that student mental health is a top priority, and it’s a top priority for NCDPI as well,” Essick said. “Based on YRBS data and national surveys, we believe this addition to our Healthy Active Kids policy will have a positive impact. Students cannot perform at their best in the classroom if they are not mentally and physically healthy. Increasing opportunities for activity during the school day should ultimately translate to improved academic achievement.”
The board could vote on the policy change as early as July.
