Mental health in children and adolescents

Girl sitting in school uniform looking solemn

Good mental health is important for a child’s physical, educational, social, emotional and cognitive (thinking, reasoning and learning) development and wellbeing.

Parents, carers and other significant adults have an important role in their child’s development and in building and promoting their mental health and wellbeing. In many cases, children and adolescents who have good mental health carry it with them throughout life.

However, some experience mental health conditions during childhood or adolescence.

Children with mental health disorders are at increased risk of developing a mental disorder as adults. Researchers believe early intervention should be targeted at primary school-age children (and even earlier) and those who are experiencing symptoms rather than waiting for a diagnosis.

Examples include anxiety disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), depression and other mood disorders, eating disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Without treatment, these conditions can prevent children from reaching their full potential.

Who does it affect?

About one in seven Australian children experience a mental health condition, boys are more often affected, and about half of all serious mental health issues in adulthood begin around the age of five years.
ADHD is the most common mental health disorder for children followed by anxiety. Nearly seven per cent of children aged four to 17 have an anxiety disorder and five per cent of adolescents have a major depressive disorder.
One in ten adolescents self-harm and suicide is the leading cause of death for young Australians.
Young people with Autism, ADHD, eating disorders, those who are bullied, have suffered trauma or are transgender have higher rates of anxiety and depression.

Our mental health research

Our research investigates how to improve mental healthcare for children and adolescents through patient trials and studies of the organisation of care. We work with the Royal Children’s Hospital Health Services Research Unit which focuses on developing and testing new approaches to moving care from hospitals to the community. We work to improve access, quality, outcomes and costs.

Our review found that experiencing mental health symptoms before 14 predicts mental disorders in adulthood, supporting prevention and early intervention for primary school children. We’re expanding a pilot program to embed mental health coordinators in 100 primary schools. The program we co-developed will be expanded to every government and low-fee non-government primary school in Victoria from 2023. It will help teachers better identify and support at-risk students and build relationships and referral pathways to local mental health services.

We found that most Australian children with mental health disorders are not receiving professional help. Girls, young children and families from non-English speaking backgrounds are the least likely to access services. Fewer than one in four children with mental health problems saw a health professional in the 18 months after they were identified as having a problem. Families may delay seeking help, hoping their child will ‘grow out’ of it, may not know where to get help or be unable to afford it.

Our researchers are developing and testing models of accessible and affordable mental health care to remove these barriers. We’re developing and evaluating child and family hubs that could extend nationwide and an online e-Hub to connect with support.

Our research into the prevention of and early intervention in incidents of childhood trauma or adversity aims to reduce rates of depression, anxiety and suicide.

We’re trialling an intervention to reduce anxiety in children with ADHD and investigating adolescent mental health after mild traumatic brain injury.

Impacts of our research

Teenage boy with blue shirt talking to lady psychologist

Impacts of our research

Our Centre of Research Excellence in Childhood Adversity builds on community services to create approaches to improving children’s mental health, specifically depression, anxiety and suicide, through earlier detection and response to family adversity. Its review found adverse childhood experiences (abuse, bullying, maladaptive parenting) double the risks of developing mental health problems and found 34 interventions that could reduce risks.
We found that the rate of emergency department visits for children’s mental health versus physical health has tripled, often for depression and anxiety, and identified solutions to ease demand including schools offering onsite psychologists and upskilling teachers in prevention, identification and interventions.
After our vast amount of COVID-19 research revealed adverse mental health impacts of the pandemic and lockdowns on children and adolescents, we continue monitoring the long-term mental health and wellbeing of Victorian children. Our work focuses on understanding the impacts and needs of children and families and is suggesting ways forward including policy.
Our three-decade adolescent study will help improve the mental health of future generations by influencing policy and informing prevention.
We belong to a national centre that’s leading a generational shift in mental health care by shaping research decisions around future models of care and emphasising early identification and prevention over crisis support.
We found most Australian children and adolescents with mental health problems aren’t receiving sufficient treatment to improve, and we suggested interventions after finding many eight to 14-year-olds suffer from emotional and behavioural problems and bullying.
We found one-third of children develop a mental health problem after a concussion, severely unsettled babies risk poor mental health in childhood, early cannabis use in teens compromises mental health, exercise reduces depression in children and we identified a new treatment that boosts the chances of remission for anorexia nervosa.

Our vision

We aim to reduce mental health problems in children and adolescents by emphasising prevention and early intervention over crisis support. Improved access to treatment and better treatments are other goals which will have ongoing impacts and transform young lives.

Where to next?

We will continue to work to prevent mental health problems in children. We will partner with families, health professionals, community organisations and schools to ensure children get the right help and support, in the right place and at the right time.