Depression in Teens Linked to Higher Dropout Rates

One of our three goals in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools - in addition to 3rd grade reading proficiency and closing the achievement gap - is to achieve a graduation rate of 90%.  As a psychologist who works with high school students, I often see the challenges students face in attempting to reach that goal of high school graduation.  After reading this article describing a connection between adolescent depression and dropout rates, I wanted to share it with others who are also working towards that goal of increasing our graduation rate.

In a study of almost 7,000 students researchers found that "almost a quarter of the 183 adolescents who dropped out of school had clinically significant depression in the few months before quitting."  While the lead author of the study "emphasized that no cause-and-effect conclusions can be drawn from her research," the data do suggest a connection between mental health and academic success.

The researchers in this study reported they were hopeful "a better understanding that current and recent depression raises dropout risk may encourage schools to put a higher priority on mental health services."  If you are familiar with Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), this seems like great evidence of the importance of universal mental health screenings to identify students who may be in need of direct intervention.