Survey Examines Perception of Social-Emotional Well-Being Among Adolescents

July 31, 2024
  • 69% of adolescent respondents said they felt stressed, always, often or sometimes
  • 42% of adolescent respondents said that an aunt or uncle was another trusted adult in their life
  • 34% of adolescent respondents said they felt comfortable with in-person therapy appointments
  • 22% of adolescent respondents said they worry a lot

Chicago youth social-emotional well-being was explored in the latest Voices of Child Health in Chicago Parent Panel Survey from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, revealing that parents and children were only somewhat aligned in their views regarding youth mental health and stress. Over 100 pairs of Chicago parents and their adolescent children were asked to report on the adolescents’ well-being and mental health.

The survey measured participants’ feelings around four categories: stress, well-being, life satisfaction and family relationship. Researchers also collected information about the adolescents’ mental health symptoms and preferences around mental health services.

Over two thirds of adolescents reported that they always, often or sometimes feel stressed (69%), though a similar proportion reported that they rarely or never felt unable to manage things in their life (69%). Most adolescents (53%) said they woke up feeling fresh and rested less than half of the time, but also reported generally high life satisfaction, with 74% saying they somewhat or strongly agreed that their life was close to ideal.

Adolescents also reported generally high levels of family relationship quality. For instance, 79% said they often or always felt important to their family, and 80% said they often or always felt they had a strong relationship with their family. Adolescents were also asked if they had another adult in their life, besides a parent, whom they trusted, and most reported they had at least one (93%).

When asked about their most experienced mental health symptoms, adolescents reported worrying a lot (22%), feeling anxious or on edge (22%), feeling fidgety or unable to sit still (20%), and having trouble concentrating (18%).

“Understanding how adolescents perceive their own social-emotional well-being and experience the world around them is crucial to identifying the best ways to effectively support them,” said Marie Heffernan, PhD, Director of Voices of Child Health at Lurie Children’s and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “Social-emotional well-being is layered, and includes components like happiness, stress, and quality of relationships. When adolescents experience low social-emotional well-being, parents can help support their children or facilitate getting help. But parents may not always perceive their adolescent child’s well-being in the same way the adolescent does.”

In comparing responses from parents and their children, the groups were found to be somewhat aligned in their ratings of adolescent well-being, followed by psychological stress, and family relationship, but gaps were apparent in all.

“Achieving social-emotional well-being in adolescence is more likely when parents and other trusted adults foster open lines of communication and trust with children,” said Michelle L. Macy, MD, MS, Scientific Director, Community, Population Health and Outcomes in Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute and Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Emergency Medicine) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “Parents won’t always know when their adolescents are facing emotional distress, but creating safe spaces for dialogue and understanding is an important first step in supporting the development of healthy coping strategies at this age.”

The survey was administered to parent and adolescent dyads across Chicago between November 2021 – February 2022. Parents were eligible if they had at least one child 12-17 years old. The overall survey completion rate was 34.4% for parents and 64.5% for adolescents.

Population-focused child health research at Lurie Children’s is conducted through the Mary Ann & J. Milburn Smith Child Health Outcomes, Research, and Evaluation Center at Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute. Manne Research Institute is focused on improving child health, transforming pediatric medicine and ensuring healthier futures through the relentless pursuit of new knowledge. Lurie Children’s is ranked as one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals in U.S. News & World Report and is the pediatric training affiliate for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Last year, the hospital served more than 221,000 children from 47 states and 30 countries