A new Australian study has found strong links between poor sleep, psychological distress and socioeconomic disadvantage and suicidal thoughts among teenagers. Image for representational purposes only
New research following more than 6,000 Australian students over four years has found that while most adolescents do not develop serious mental health issues, a sizeable group experience symptoms of depression and anxiety that persist or worsen through high school.
The findings come from the Future Proofing Study, led by Professor Aliza Werner-Seidler at the Black Dog Institute, which tracked students from Year 8 to Year 11 across more than 130 schools since 2019.
Professor Werner-Seidler said the research offers a clear picture of how common mental health problems develop during adolescence. “Our research shows that while most young people navigate adolescence without significant mental health difficulties, a substantial number experience symptoms that worsen over time. This highlights the need for earlier intervention and more targeted support.”
The study identified four distinct patterns in how depression and anxiety develop. Around two-thirds of students did not report high levels of either condition. However, up to one-quarter experienced ongoing or increasing symptoms, affecting 19 per cent of students for depression and 26 per cent for anxiety.
“What is concerning is that a significant proportion of young people follow trajectories where symptoms remain high or increase during the high school years,” Professor Werner-Seidler said. “If we can identify young people earlier in that trajectory, there is a real opportunity to intervene before symptoms become more severe.”
Researchers found that mental health outcomes were linked to a range of factors. Bullying, peer difficulties, negative family relationships and exposure to adverse childhood experiences were all associated with poorer outcomes. Girls and gender-diverse students were more likely to fall into higher-risk groups than boys.
“These trajectories can in part be shaped by young people’s environments and circumstances, including their experiences at school, with their families and more broadly within their social networks,” Professor Werner-Seidler said.
Sleep was identified as a key factor. The study found that 38 per cent of students experienced persistent or increasing insomnia symptoms during the study period, including 11 per cent with clinically significant insomnia. Those with clinically significant insomnia were four times more likely to experience high anxiety and six times more likely to experience high depression symptoms.
Kate Maston, Senior Research Program Manager at the Black Dog Institute, said sleep remains under-recognised in youth mental health discussions. “Sleep is often overlooked in conversations about youth mental health, but our findings show it plays a critical role in mental health and wellbeing. Improving how we identify and treat sleep problems in young people could make a significant difference to mental health outcomes.”
Ms Maston said the findings point to practical steps across health care and education. “Routine screening for sleep problems in primary care, stronger sleep education in schools, and greater investment in training clinicians to treat insomnia could all help improve mental health outcomes for young people.”
The study also examined the impact of early life adversity. More than half of participants reported at least one adverse childhood experience by Year 8, including family conflict, parental separation or household mental illness. These experiences were linked to higher risks of self-harm, suicidal thoughts and emotional distress later in adolescence.
“Experiences in early life can shape mental health in profound ways. Supporting families and identifying young people exposed to adversity early and then providing support at this early stage, can make a significant difference to long-term outcomes,” Professor Werner-Seidler said.
A sense of belonging at school was another key factor. Students who reported stronger connections with peers and their school community in Year 8 were more likely to report better wellbeing in later years. Around one in four students, however, reported low levels of school connectedness.
Professor Werner-Seidler said the findings offer guidance for policymakers and educators. “Adolescence is a critical period where mental health trajectories begin to take shape. What our findings show is that many of the factors influencing these trajectories are identifiable and, in many cases, modifiable.”
“By investing in earlier support for young people, strengthening school and family environments, and ensuring services are available when young people first begin to struggle, we have a real opportunity to change the course of mental health outcomes.”
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