Stressed out: Anxiety a bigger concern for teens than drugs, poverty
Teens were the most likely to say stress and anxiety were of major concern for their peers — more than drug addiction, bullying or poverty, according to a new study by Pew Research Center.
Why it matters: Teens are growing up in a world of publicized mass shootings, dire climate change warnings, poor economic futures without a college degree and extreme political partisanship, and they are more stressed about those things than adults overall, according to the American Psychological Association.
Between the lines: Getting good grades was the top pressure for teens, with 61% telling Pew they felt "a lot" of pressure to do so.
- More than 60% also felt at least some pressure to look good, fit in socially and be involved in extracurricular activities.
- Pressure to drink or do drugs was at the bottom of the list — only around 15% of teens felt pressure to do so.
Teenage girls are more likely than boys to feel pressure to look good and to experience tension or nervousness every day or almost every day.
- Teen girls are also more likely to plan to attend college than teen boys, which mirrors the fact that women are now more likely to be college graduates than men.
Go deeper: School shootings have united Gen Z and young millennials