As mental health disorders among young people increase around the world, a report published by the National Center for Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States highlights a significant gap between the level of social support and emotional that teenagers say they feel coming from their parents and what the parents of these young people think they are delivering.
THE document points out that just over a quarter (27.5%) of teenagers aged 12 to 17 say they always receive social and emotional support from their parents. On the other hand, the majority of parents (76.9%) believe that their children receive all the support they need. For the authors, this finding suggests that parents may underestimate their adolescent children’s perceived need for social and emotional support.
The findings were based on data from the National Health Interview Survey – Adolescents, whose data was collected between July 2021 and December 2022 to estimate the prevalence of self-reported social and emotional support among nearly 1,200 adolescents aged 12 to 17 in the US. In addition, the researchers also analyzed data from the same period as the survey to compare responses reported by parents about support for their children.
While 58.5% of young people stated that they “always or usually” received the social and emotional support they needed; 21.6% said this happened “sometimes” and 19.9% said they “rarely or never” received this support. When evaluating parents’ perception, the data were quite divergent: 93% thought that their children always or generally received the necessary support; 4% sometimes and only 2.9% rarely or never.
Possible consequences
In the opinion of psychiatrist Elton Kanomata, from Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, many hypotheses can try to explain the reason for this discrepancy and, depending on the point of view, can reduce or increase it. “Just analyzing the fact that there is this difference, this can impact the relationship between family dynamics and the possible consequences for teenagers in different ways”, he assesses.
One of the consequences highlighted in the study is the possible increased risk of health problems in these adolescents. Five points focused on health and well-being were evaluated: poor or fair health, anxious symptoms, depressive symptoms, very low life satisfaction and poor sleep quality.
“In all five of these points, a big difference was observed between those who always or usually had social and emotional support compared to those who sometimes, rarely and never received the support they needed. This can increase the risk of developing mental disorders and risky behaviors”, warns Kanomata.
Other possible consequences are distancing due to lack of family support, self-esteem problems, insecurity, difficulty relating to other people, academic and, in the future, even professional difficulties. “Results like these signal to families the need to review communication between parents and children”, advises Kanomata.
It is also worth remembering that teenagers are at a stage of emotional and psychological development, in which their ability to assess their emotional needs may be different from that of their parents. As a result, they may feel they receive less support or not recognize when support is offered in ways they do not find helpful or appropriate.
Furthermore, at this stage of life it is common for young people to seek more autonomy and independence, which leads to a change and even distancing in the relationship between parents and children. “It is common for healthcare professionals to encounter these situations. Especially when it comes to mental disorders and risk behaviors (such as drug use and self-harm). The diagnosis often surprises parents because they do not identify early signs that their children are not well”, observes the psychiatrist.
When to seek help?
Considering that this phase of development is marked by many physical, emotional and social changes, offering adequate emotional support is fundamental to the well-being of adolescents. “Show your children that [os pais] they are emotionally present and maintaining an open and non-judgmental communication channel helps teenagers feel welcomed and protected”, advises Kanomata.
Some signs that it is time to seek professional help are: intense and prolonged suffering; difficulty maintaining personal, social and academic activities; significant mood changes; isolation; changes in sleep and/or appetite; pessimistic attitudes; signs of self-harm or suicidal thoughts; and use of alcohol or other substances.
“Social and emotional support in this age group can make a significant difference in adolescent development. The importance of this study is to promote reflections and possible changes, including public policies aimed at mental health and education”, says the psychiatrist.
This content was originally published in Teenagers feel they receive little emotional support from their parents, says study on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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