Survey: One-Third of 8th- to 12th-Graders Report Depression in Fairfax County
County rolls out new online prevention toolkit Monday to assist families, schools, PTAs, community and faith-based groups in helping students.
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Depression among Fairfax County students is at 32.2 percent, a 4 percent increase from 2009 to 2010, a new survey shows.
The 2010-2011 Fairfax County Youth Survey shows Fairfax County students are feeling more depressed and bullied, but are experimenting less with drugs and alcohol than in previous years.
For the survey question about depression, students were asked: "During the past 12 months, did you ever feel so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a row that you stopped doing some usual activities?"
The survey looks at factors that contribute to depression, such as alcohol and drug use, teen sex, bullying (both bullying and being bullied), and examines the support systems teens have in place at home, at school and in the community that help prevent depression.
Of the 44,000 students in grades 12, 10, 8 and 6 who took the survey (representing 86 percent of the student body in those grades):
- 32.2 percent reported experiencing depression in the 2010-2011 school year compared to 28.2 percent the previous year. (8th-, 10th- and 12th-graders)
- 22.5 percent of sixth-graders reported experiencing depression.
- Correlation in the data shows that students who got more than eight hours of sleep a night and who exercised more often report experiencing less depression.
- Correlation in the data also shows demographics reporting depression more often were: 12th-graders (35.3 percent), Hispanics (40.8 percent) and female students (36.5 percent).
- 54 percent overall reported being bullied in 2010-11, compared to 50.8 percent in 2009
- Alcohol use saw a decrease from 23.5 percent to 21.1 percent; same with cigarette smoking (9.2 percent to 6.8 percent) and marijuana use (11.6 percent to 10.3 percent)
In response to the survey results, the county has launched The Prevention Toolkit, said Marcus Allen, countywide prevention coordinator. The toolkit is a collection of suggestions, tools and resources to assist families, school staff, PTAs, community and faith-based organizers, social clubs and others to promote the well-being of youth in Fairfax County.
"In most of the areas, we’re doing better than the national averages, but it's still not good enough for us," said Allen.
"The purpose is to bring people together and plan on how we’re going to work as a system to prevent some of the things we’re concerned about," Allen said. "We recognize that government can’t do it all...in order to be successful, we have to work with the community. The toolkit is designed to empower people without needing too much assistance."
The kit helps tackle five issues:
- Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs
- Bullying and Cyberbullying
- Depression
- Nutrition and Physical Activity
- Teen Dating Abuse
The Prevention Toolkit is divided into three areas:
1. Support — Answers to frequently asked questions and step-by-step guidance to hosting a community event around the Youth Survey or a selected topic.
2. Presentations, Handouts and Resources — In-depth looks at results for selected Youth Survey topics, including fact sheets and videos in several languages. Links to more information and where to go for help. Youth Survey topics include alcohol, tobacco and other drugs; bullying and cyberbullying; mental health-depression and suicide; nutrition and physical activity; and teen dating abuse.
3. Take Action — Ideas on how to make a difference in the lives of youth in your community.
"The toolkit empowers groups to take action, the goal is to empower them to take action around a specific topic," Allen said. "There's a section on ideas for neighborhood and family prevention activities and another where you can learn about the drugs commonly used."
"There are ideas for things that parents should do in their own home or learn how to utilize school counselors as a resource," Allen said. "If you don't have a youth group, start one, so you can have some discussions with kids and surround them with positive role models."
One of the results of the 2010-2011 survey shows Fairfax County students do not have enough "community adults" to talk to; of the 12th-graders surveyed, 34 percent reported having "community adults" to talk to.
Fairfax County plans a series of local meetings across the county to discuss the survey findings and discuss the toolkit in-depth, starting today (Monday):
Reston: Monday, 10 a.m. to noon, Region 3 NCS Office, 11484 Washington Plaza West, Suite 140
Falls Church: Monday, Dec. 5, 7-8:30 p.m., Region 2 James Lee Community Center Theatre, 2855-A Annandale Road
Fairfax: Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, 10 a.m. to noon, Region 4 Mott Community Center, 12111 Braddock Road
Hybla Valley: Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Region 1 Gum Springs Community Center, 8100 Fordson Road
DAVE
7:04 am on Monday, November 28, 2011
Bull! I hate these surveys and am in favor of seeing the end of their use. There is absolutely nothing valid or clinical about them and the only thing they accomplish is to label a group of children with a psychological issue they probably don't have.
Sally Spangler
12:45 pm on Monday, November 28, 2011
Not surprised. Seems a century ago when I went through bullying and depression. Never told mother and she never asked. No, not bull! Real and very hard to get over.
DAVE
2:02 pm on Monday, November 28, 2011
Sally, 33%? I am not denying that some children suffer from depression, but one third of the high school population? BULL! Not a chance. Never happening. You're labeling almost 15000 kids which most likely does far more harm than good. Was this survey taken scientifically. I doubt it. Not a credible survey. Was this survey done with parental permission? Was there any one on one follow-up? As soon as I get home tonight I plan on telling my high school son that should he ever be given one of these surveys to not take it.
Sandy Tobias
4:17 pm on Monday, November 28, 2011
No one is being labeled. This is a self-report study only. People can experience depression without being clinically depressed. MIght I suggest, Dave, that you attend one of the meetings during which the results will be discussed?
Laura Bow
4:44 pm on Monday, November 28, 2011
Might want to try talking to your kid first. You may be surprised to find out he's one if the 33%.
DAVE
7:03 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Gees, Laura, now there's an idea. That tidbit never crossed my mind. Talk to my kids? Wow!! Enlightening. One thing I explain to my kids is that life is not always video games and Christmas presents. Life is a series of ups and downs and its how you handle those ups and downs that builds character. There is nothing in life that is worth dying over. I was bullied when I was a kid and never found myself with a rope around my neck. We managed to build ourselves a society of people who are completely incapable of handling success or failure. Maybe if parents actually practiced (wait for it) parenting things would be better. I expect schools to educate my children and let me handle the rest.
Peter Gary
9:05 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Dave, I thought your approach was a little rough but your landing was spot on. With regard to surveys, they should be used as a single component in presenting findings. One would also need to read the survey questions and be present at the sessions to validate that the questions were not leading. Children are easily swayed. Recall how when one child in the school passes away all of a sudden "everyone" knew him and responds like they were a relative? You also should know how they selected the sample population. Nothing negative, children are just easily influenced.
In my regular dealings with school administrators and faculty, enough of them have been quick to make statements they are not qualified to make. Like telling parents a child has ADHD. Others have been more than happy to keep children in special education because it brings resources (equipment, money) to the program if their need is very different from other childrens needs. (long story on this one where they will purposefully lie to make a square peg fit in a round hole). From the data I see here alone, I don't see anything valid. I'm a firm believer in raising my own children. Teachers teach, parents parent. But my situation is easier to manage. My wife stays home to watch these issues and I work many hours to make sure she can be there for our little ones. I'm sure many families benefit from the assistance but we choose not to.
Father of Five
Mary
11:08 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011
It is safe to say that there are kids in FCPS who are depressed. Maybe it's not 33%. It may be lower, or it may be higher. But we know that there are depressed kids. Maybe it's because their family life is bad. Or maybe it's because their brain chemistry is different. It doesn't matter to me what the reason is - a child is in crisis, and I want to live in the kind of society that wants to help him. The cost of turning our backs is just too high. The tool kit may be just another resource for a desperate kid.
The school sees our kids for more hours in the day than we do. I am close to my kids, but I am grateful that the school is looking out for their well-being also. I don't need the school to parent my children for me, but I welcome their observations about how they are doing.
DAVE
2:24 pm on Tuesday, November 29, 2011
If you want to turn your children over to the government, fine by me. I'll raise my own children and determine when, if ever, they need help. The schools are barely able to educate our kids and you want to turn their mental health over to them. This survey is bunk. It's like asking employees how they feel about their boss. 1/3 is always going to distort the truth for any number of reasons. And you think 15000 high school kids of various socioeconomic backgrounds are going to be any different. What have parents in this country come to?
Mary
3:03 pm on Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Um, no one every said they were turning over their child's mental health to the school system or the government.
I would hope that if a neighbor, friend, or teacher of my child noticed that she was especially sad or depressed, they would alert me to that so I could do something. What parenting has "come to" is that we live in a complex world, and kids and parents are not always able to smoothly navigate it. I am glad to have help from my community. Good for you that you don't. Good luck.
DAVE
6:31 am on Wednesday, November 30, 2011
If you as a parent are unable to tell if your child is "especially sad or depressed" then you have much bigger problems than that. If that's the level of engagement you have with your children it is definitely time to wake up.
Kim
5:00 pm on Tuesday, November 29, 2011
The sample size was huge - all 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th graders in school that day whose parents didn't opt them out. They are not being labeled - they self-reported feeling depressed. Whatever your opinion of the survey, if that many children are feeling depressed, I think we should pay attention.
Amelie Krikorian
7:59 pm on Tuesday, November 29, 2011
They're probably depressed because school is more about collecting data and surveys than engaging the mind these days, and it's taught largely to the bottom third of the grade in order to meet the requirements of no child left behind. Many kids can't distinguish boredom from depression.
Peter Gary
11:34 am on Wednesday, November 30, 2011
You hit the nail on the head.
George
8:52 pm on Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Right on Amelie. Children are not allowed to be kids anymore. There is too much pressure on them and schools are under too many restrictions to truly beneift the students.
DAVE
11:51 am on Wednesday, November 30, 2011
I think the saying "It takes a village to raise a child" is dead wrong. I think people today "WANT a village to raise their child." I seriously doubt a 6-12th grader is able to self-diagnose "depression." Furthermore, why are they "depressed"? This survey is a sham and anyone who buys into it has lost their mind.
Robinson Mom
12:27 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
Is anyone paying attention to the fact that teenagers moods shift from one minute to the next? If they are feeling depressed or hopeless at the exact moment they are self-reporting, then they are at least somewhat likely to genuinely believe that they have been feeling this way for weeks on end, and that things will never get better. If they get a text the minute after they complete the survey from someone they like/have a crush on they will be on top of the world, and will no longer be depressed until some new event rocks their world. I've seen it with both my teenagers on an almost daily basis. It is the passage that all young people make from childhood into adulthood, and it is rough. But to conclude on a self-report basis that huge numbers of FCPS students are depressed is, in my opinion, a terrible idea. The only folks diagnosing depression should be psychiatrists and psychologists. If a parent or school is concerned that student is depressed they need to refer individual kids to qualified professionals. Just because a kid isn't deliriously happy every waking moment of their day does not mean they are depressed. It just means that they are learning that sometimes life is not fair, sometimes people are mean, sometimes you don't get your way, and sometimes you have to deal with difficult people and/or circumstances. Parents and teachers should respond by teaching kids to cope with these realities.