Daniel Eisenberg

This study explores the association between climate change stress and psychological distress and suicide ideation among adolescents in California and factors associated with climate change stress.  Study authors use cross-sectional data from the 2021 and 2022 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) to explore differences between adolescents reporting climate change stress or not. Association between climate stress and psychological distress and suicide ideation were explored.

Findings: In this study, 38.1% of California’s adolescents report climate change stress. Adolescents who report this stress are more likely to be female, gender nonconforming, white, from higher-income families, have adverse childhood experiences, frequently use social media, be involved in their community, and feel civic efficacy. Climate change stress is associated with 2.395 greater odds of psychological distress in the past month and 1.853 greater odds of suicide ideation in the past year.
 

The past several decades have seen remarkable improvements in several major public health issues affecting young people: smoking rates are down, traffic crash fatalities have declined, and other unintentional injuries have declined in number. Yet, similar successes have not been replicated in mental health. Why are we, as a society, failing to make needed investments in children's mental health? How can we ensure that programs with the highest levels of evidence and economic returns reach a larger fraction of the young people and families who could benefit from them?

"Investing in Children's Mental Health" by Daniel Eisenberg and Ramesh Raghavan investigates and addresses three interrelated questions:

• 1) What are some of the best available investments to improve the mental health of children and adolescents in the United States?
• 2) To what extent are these investments being made?
• 3) What can practitioners, child-serving organizations, policymakers, and other stakeholders do to promote such investments?

After synthesizing the latest research and evidence, the authors introduce a series of case studies featuring interventions and programs from a variety of settings and age groups, then distill key themes and offer recommendations for a range of stakeholders including policymakers, administrators, funders, and practitioners.