Youth Mental Health and Families in the United States After COVID-19

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, youth mental health has drawn growing attention in the United States. There are initiatives aimed at improving adolescent mental health by supporting family interaction and providing training in communication skills.

• Youth Mental Health Challenges
• The Reassurance and Resilience Fostered by Family Bonds
• NAMI Underscores the Importance of Family Support
• Outlook and Recommendations

Youth Mental Health Challenges

The COVID-19 pandemic transformed lifestyles around the world, but its impact on American youth has been especially severe. School closures, social distancing, and restrictions on social activities cut young people off from friends and their communities, leaving many struggling with a range of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.

According to a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2023, 29% of high school students experienced mental health problems such as anxiety disorders or depression, and about 40% reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. In the same year, 2 in 10 students seriously considered attempting suicide, and nearly 1 in 10 actually made a suicide attempt. Meanwhile, although online services have become more widely available, many adolescents still cannot access adequate support because of the digital divide (the gap between those who can and cannot benefit from the internet), making the situation even more complex.

The Reassurance and Resilience Fostered by Family Bonds

In this context, family bonds are a key factor influencing youth mental health. When families provide emotional security and foster resilience—the capacity to cope flexibly with stress and adversity—young people are better positioned to address their challenges early.

For example, families with smooth communication are more likely to notice subtle worries or mood changes in adolescents and can offer timely advice and support at that stage. Providing academic support and making time to be together can reduce feelings of isolation and help build self-esteem and self-worth. In addition, sharing positive experiences through family hobbies and recreational activities gives adolescents a felt sense of being valued, contributing to emotional stability.

Moreover, when families show sustained interest in an adolescent’s mental health, it creates the foundation for the young person to feel, “I have someone to turn to when I’m in trouble.” In fact, adolescents who have their family’s understanding and cooperation face a lower barrier to seeking help when anxiety or stress arises, making it easier to intervene before problems become severe. Thus, the reassurance families provide and their role in strengthening resilience have become increasingly significant in the turbulent post-pandemic period.

NAMI Underscores the Importance of Family Support

The fact that family support has a major impact on youth mental health is also borne out by the work of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Known as the largest mental health nonprofit in the United States, NAMI offers a wide variety of programs for families and adolescents, with a core emphasis on the family’s role.

First, the free eight-week course Family-to-Family helps families strengthen support at home by learning accurate information about mental health, effective communication strategies, and crisis management. According to NAMI, about 80% of program graduates report that “the quality of conversations at home has improved,” and that adolescents find it easier to talk about how they are doing.

Next, the six-week online course NAMI Basics helps adolescents deepen their understanding of mental health and acquire skills to manage symptoms. By emphasizing peer support and encouraging interaction with others who have similar experiences, the program is said to reduce feelings of isolation. In cases where families understand what adolescents are learning and actively engage with them, internal survey data indicate about a 30% reduction in the frequency of anxiety and depressive episodes.

NAMI’s Ending the Silence presentations in local communities also play an important role by reducing stigma and discrimination related to mental health and promoting early intervention. When families participate in such community awareness efforts, they help build a local culture that openly addresses mental health challenges, thereby strengthening the support systems surrounding adolescents.

A common thread across NAMI programs is the stance that “families learn and act together with the person directly affected.” Many participants report that mutual understanding at home has deepened and that adolescents’ mental health has improved.

Outlook and Recommendations

NAMI’s concrete examples strongly suggest that family-centered support systems have a powerful influence on youth mental health. To further expand such efforts, it will be essential to broaden mental health education programs for families, promote collaboration with nonprofit organizations, and enhance online resources.

It is also important for national and local governments to introduce comprehensive policies and provide ongoing financial and institutional backing. As families, communities, educational institutions, and policymakers work more closely together, environments can be created in which adolescents feel safe to share their concerns and can access appropriate support at an early stage.

Even amid the harsh realities of the post–COVID-19 era, the reassurance and resilience nurtured by strong family bonds provide robust support for adolescents, and coordination with the broader community further reinforces that support. Spreading this complementary framework to more communities is perhaps the most reliable way to ensure the healthy development and well-being of young people.

(Published with additions and revisions in the February 2025 issue of "EN-ICHI FORUM")

• Bell, I. H., Nicholas, J., Broomhall, A., Bailey, E., Bendall, S., Boland, A., Robinson, J., Adams, S., McGorry, P. and Thompson, A. (2023). The impact of COVID-19 on youth mental health: A mixed methods survey. Psychiatry Research, vol.321, 115082.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024). Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2013–2023, US Department of Health and Human Services.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Official Website: https://www.nami.org/Home

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