Study: Half of teens with mental problems receive professional help

By Staff Writer

A new study reveals that only about half of U.S. teens who have mental disorders receive treatment for their problems.

The report, which appears in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, examined the treatment for specific mental disorders. The results were based on surveys of more than 6,000 adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18. Researchers discovered that only half of the teens who had mental disorders received treatment, which they said could be a result of a national shortage of mental health specialists, as well as limited treatment options for uninsured families.

A total of 60 percent of adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) received treatment, compared to about 45 percent of teens with oppositional defiant disorder. However, only about one in every five teenagers who suffered from anxiety, eating or substance abuse problems had received treatment.

The survey also revealed racial disparities, as Hispanic and African-American teens were less likely than their white peers to receive services for anxiety and other emotional problems.

Troubled teen programs, such as boarding schools and wilderness therapy, may help adolescents who suffer from untreated mental disorders.