Research Lights the Way Forward for Teen Mental Health

Right now, many young people are experiencing mental health problems that make it difficult to focus at school, connect with friends and even get out of bed some days.

Mental disorders are the leading cause of poor health among young Australians. Associate Professor Holly Erskine knows that beyond these statistics are the stories of real teenagers who are struggling to learn, connect and thrive.

Yet, there’s still so much we don’t fully understand. How does the mental health of young people today compare to previous generations? What’s driving these poor mental health outcomes? And how does the mental health of Australian youth differ from those around the world?

That’s where A/Professor Erskine and her team come in. As leader of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Epidemiology and Services (CAPES) Research Stream at the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research (QCMHR), she is working to transform how the world understands and measures child and adolescent mental health.

Through national surveys like Young Minds: Our Future (YMOF), which she co-leads, A/Professor Erskine and her team will track how the mental health of Australian children and adolescents today compares to a decade ago.

“By comparing this new data to earlier national surveys, we can see how mental health has shifted over time, where we’re making progress, and where we’re falling behind,” she explains.

“Adolescents in particular are at a stage of life filled with both vulnerability but also opportunity. If we can give them the right support based on solid evidence, we can change not just their futures, but the future of our communities.”

Another one of A/Professor Erskine’s contributions has been highlighting the lasting impact of childhood maltreatment on adolescent wellbeing through her involvement in the  Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS). ACMS showed how child abuse and neglect shapes mental health outcomes, for example, young people who had experienced child maltreatment were twice as likely to have a mental disorder compared to those who have not.

“If we want to address adolescent mental illness, we must understand the environments and factors that shape children’s lives,” A/Professor Erskine explains.

The work doesn’t stop within Australia’s borders. A/Professor Erskine also led efforts to understand adolescent mental health across Kenya, Indonesia, and Vietnam through the National Adolescent Mental Health Surveys.

“Young people face challenges everywhere, but culture and context shape how those challenges play out. By learning from one another, we can create solutions that have global relevance,” A/Professor Erskine says.

While the work is data-driven, the goal is deeply human. By bringing together insights from national surveys, A/Professor Erskine’s research will provide policymakers and practitioners with the evidence they need to act.

“Our job is to make sure the numbers tell a story that decision-makers can’t ignore.”

“If we can use these findings to influence how adolescent mental health is measured, we’ll be able to see a clearer picture of what drives poor outcomes and what can be done to turn things around,” she adds.

Over the next five years, A/Professor Erskine’s program of work aims to redefine what is possible for young people and their mental health, with impacts reaching far beyond Australia.

Established in 1987, QCMHR is funded by Queensland Health to work state-wide and contribute to the local, national, and global research efforts to improve mental health.

Contact:

Associate Professor Holly Erskine

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Media contact:

Laura Corcoran, Research Communications Officer

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