Depression, anxiety: nothing better than a teenager to help another

Nothing beats a similar to express its problems. Adolescence is a pivotal period of life, which has its share of worries. In this confusing period, it is not uncommon for adolescents to present mental disorders such as depression, anxiety or to express suicidal thoughts. In a study, researchers from the University of Michigan (United States) found that the best person for a teenager to talk about his problems remains… another teenager. The results of their study were published on Mott Poll Reports.

Teenagers trust each other

To realize this, the researchers relied on a national survey of a thousand parents of adolescents aged 13 to 18 years. According to their results, three quarters of parents think that teenagers understand each other better, that they will find in their peers a more benevolent listening than teachers or school counselors will ever be able to offer them. Similarly, the majority of parents also agree that school teams should encourage teens more to talk to someone about their mental health issues.

“Peers can provide invaluable support to fellow teens struggling with emotional issues, as they can get along with each othersays Sarah Clark, co-director of the Mott poll. Some teens may worry that their parents are overreacting or not understanding what they are going through. Teachers and school counselors may also have limited time to speak with students in the midst of other responsibilities..”

Previous studies on the subject have already suggested that half of children and adolescents with mental disorders have not received treatment because of these obstacles. However, adolescents who do not have a diagnosed illness may still occasionally have problems with emotions, relationships with friends and family, anxiety, difficulties in school, substance abuse, which affect esteem they have of themselves.

A program that appeals to parents

In the United States, some schools have set up peer support facilitators to give teenagers safe channels to share their problems. In this program, the adolescents who serve as mentors have been trained by teachers, school counselors and health professionals. “We’ve seen good examples of school programs that prepare teens to be a good listener and identify the warning signs of suicide or other serious issues.underlines Sarah Clark. The role of supportive mentors is to listen, suggest problem-solving strategies, share information about resources and, when appropriate, encourage their peers to seek help. The most essential task is to spot the signs that suggest the student needs immediate attention and to alert the adults supervising the program. Although it does not replace the need for professional support, these programs offer young people a non-threatening way to begin to solve their problems.”

Despite this, parents, often at a loss when faced with their children in this age group, have confidence in such a system. Thus, 38% of them think of consulting a mentor for support in the event that their child is faced with mental health problems. However, this trust is not blind since 62% of parents worry about whether the mentor would keep their teenager’s information confidential, or even if he would able to tell if their teenager needs immediate help in a crisis (53%).

Finally, overall, a quarter of the parents questioned call for this system to be generalized in schools, and 64% would authorize their children to themselves become mentors to help their classmates. “This suggests that parental support increases once they understand how peer support programs workconcludes Sarah Clark. Most parents agree with the rationale for peer support programs but may be unsure until they see how they work and benefit students.”