Investigators: David Lawrence, Jennifer Bartlett, Sarah Johnson, Stephen Zubrick
External collaborators: Professor Michael Sawyer (University of Adelaide), Dr John Ainley (Australian Council for Educational Research)
Young Minds Matter is the largest survey of child and adolescent mental health and wellbeing ever conducted in Australia. The parents and carers of over 6,000 children aged 4-17 years around Australia were interviewed, and almost 3,000 young people aged 11-17 years completed a separate questionnaire in private.
The survey found one in seven Australian children and adolescents had a mental disorder in the past 12 months. This prevalence has remained relatively stable since the first survey was conducted in 1998. Fewer 4-17 year-olds now have ADHD or conduct disorder, but there has been an increase in the number of children and adolescents with major depressive disorder. Mental disorders were more common in families facing other challenges, including unemployment and family breakup. The survey found very high rates of distress, depression and self-harming and suicidal behaviours in teenagers, particular older teenage girls, which highlight the challenges faced in the transition to adulthood.
Since the first survey in 1998 there has been a large increase in the number of children with mental disorders receiving help, and a substantial reduction in the number of families dealing with problems on their own. However, there are still substantial numbers of families whose needs for help go unmet and many others who receive less help than they feel that they need.