George Lucas Educational Foundation

A New Theory on the Teen Mental Health Crisis

While rising rates of teen mental health issues can’t be pinned to a single root cause, a 2023 study surfaced a compelling connection to the decline in childhood independence.

February 9, 2024

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There is growing concern around the widespread mental health issues that teenagers face, and while finding causes can be elusive, a recent study reveals a new angle—rooted in childhood development—that is gaining traction.

In 2023, researchers compiled and assessed data trends that showed a drop in opportunities for children to engage in play, chores, and roles that are not directly overseen and controlled by adults. Unsupervised play and purposeful work contribute to the development of important feelings of competence, autonomy, and relatedness in childhood and adolescence, which lead to healthy young adults. Without those opportunities, children may be missing out on a critical part of their growth. The message seems clear—adults should strive to ensure that children have ample chances to grow in their confidence through independent play and exploration.

To read the research cited in the video, check out the links below:

To learn more about 2023’s most compelling research findings for educators, visit The 10 Most Significant Education Studies of 2023.

1 Comment

  1. Alicia S

    July 4, 2024

    As an educator who lives with a lot of mental health illnesses, which are caused by trauma according to research, I know how important it is to focus on social-emotional character development (SECD). Adults and children of all ages are living with mental illnesses that are either not properly diagnosed, which was the case for me or ignored because we think “oh life is hard, whatever I am going through, I will eventually get over it,” but life doesn’t work like that. The following statement and research are nothing new to me: “After sifting through surveys, historical datasets, and other cultural artifacts, researchers theorized that a primary cause is “a decline over decades in opportunities for children and teens to play, roam, and engage in other activities independent of direct oversight and control by adults.” I say that because I have seen how much play and time outside being active and social can transform a child’s whole day by regulating their mood and academic achievement. 

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