Rate of mental disorders among 17 to 19 year olds increased in 2022, new report shows

29 Nov 2022 12:05 PM

One in four 17 to 19 year olds in England had a probable mental disorder in 2022 – an increase from one in six in 2021.

The Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2022 report, published today by NHS Digital, showed that among 17 to 19 year olds, the proportion with a probable mental disorder1increased from 17.4% in 2021 to 25.7% in 2022.  

This report explores the mental health of children and young people in England in 2022 and how this has changed from 2017, 2020 and 20212. Views and experiences of family life, education, household circumstances, services and employment are examined. 

In 2017, 10.1% of 17 to 19 years olds had a probable mental disorder – the rate increased to 17.7% in 2020 but remained stable between 2020 and 2021, when it was 17.4%.  

Among 7 to 16 year olds, the proportion with a probable mental disorder was 18.0% in 2022 – up from 12.1% in 2017 but a similar rate to 2020 when it was 16.7% and 2021 when it was 17.8%.  

In 2022, among those aged 7 to 10, prevalence of a probable mental disorder was nearly twice as high in boys (19.7%) as in girls (10.5%). Rates of a probable mental disorder were similar in boys (18.8%) and girls (22.0%) aged 11 to 16. Among 17 to 24 year olds, the prevalence was much higher in young women (31.2%) than young men (13.3%). 

The findings draw on a sample of 2,866 children and young people who are now aged between 7 and 24 years old3, while information was also provided by parents for children aged 7 to 16. This publication is part of a series of follow up reports to the 2017 Mental Health of Children and Young People in England survey4.  

The survey, commissioned by NHS Digital, was caried out earlier this year by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen)5, University of Cambridge and University of Exeter.  

Other topics covered in the report include:  

Household circumstances  

Children with a probable mental disorder were more likely than those without to live in a home experiencing financial strain: 

School 

Children with a probable mental disorder were more likely than those without to report negative views and experiences at school: 

Social media 

Children and young people with a probable mental disorder were more likely than those without to experience bullying online: 

Eating problems 

The report includes data on possible problems with eating, which indicates an increased likelihood of problems or broader difficulties with eating. It does not mean that the child or young person had an eating disorder6.  

Sleep problems 

Sleep problems were more common in children and young people with a probable mental disorder than in those unlikely to have a disorder: 

Loneliness 

Loneliness was more common among children and young people with a probable mental disorder: 

Self-harm 

Children and young people with a probable mental disorder were more likely to report self-harm7

Read the full report

Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2022

Notes for Editors

  1. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to assess different aspects of mental health, including problems with emotions, behaviour, relationships, hyperactivity and concentration. Responses from parents, children and young people were used to estimate the likelihood that a child might have a mental disorder, this was classified as either ‘unlikely’, ‘possible’ or ‘probable’. Please note that the mental disorder prevalence estimates in the initial MHCYP 2017 survey reported on a different and more detailed diagnostic assessment of mental disorder. Therefore, any comparisons between 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2022 must draw on the results presented in this report, which are based on a comparable measure of the SDQ using children that were aged between 7 to 19 years at the time of each survey. 
  2. This report presents findings from the third (wave 3) in a series of follow up reports to the 2017 Mental Health of Children and Young People (MHCYP) survey, conducted in 2022. The sample includes 2,866 of the children and young people who took part in the MHCYP 2017 survey. The mental health of children and young people aged 7 to 24 years living in England in 2022 is examined, as well as their household circumstances, and their experiences of education, employment and services and of life in their families and communities. Comparisons are made with 2017, 2020 (wave 1) and 2021 (wave 2), where possible, to monitor changes over time. This survey (wave 3) took place during April and May 2022.
  3. Ages of participants in the survey refer to their age as at 31 August 2022. 
  4. This report describes the prevalence of probable mental disorder in children and young people aged 7 to 24 years living in England in April and May 2022. Comparisons are presented as follows: for those aged 7 to 16, and 17 to 19 in 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2022; for those aged 20 to 23 in 2021 and 2022 only, as this age group were not represented in the previous survey waves. No comparisons over time are presented for those aged 24 in 2022, as this is the first wave of the survey series where participants have reached this age.
  5.  The National Centre for Social Research is Britain’s largest independent social research agency. The Office for National Statistics is the UK’s largest independent producer of official statistics and the recognised national statistical institute of the UK. 
  6. Young people aged 11 to 24 years and parents of children aged 7 to 16 years completed 5 screening questions from the Eating Disorders Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA) module. ‘Screening positive’ for a possible eating problem was defined as scoring above the threshold (answering yes to 2 or more items where a parent is reporting on a child and answering yes to 1 or more items where a young person is reporting on themselves) on these questions. The questions are available in the Survey materials and questionnaire documentation. ‘Screening positive’ on the DAWBA Eating Disorders module does not mean that the child or young person had a clinically impairing eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia but indicates an increased likelihood of broader problems or difficulties with eating.
  7. For guidance on reporting self-harm and suicide, visit the Samaritans' website
  8. Where two figures are stated to not be statistically significantly different or statistically similar, this means that they should not be compared other than to treat them as the same.
  9. Please refer to the Survey Design and Methods Report for more detail on any of the survey methodology. 
  10. For information on mental health and where to find support, visit the NHS website.