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Emotional Health


Depression-Related Feelings, by Grade Level: 2008-2010 See Source and Notes
(Grade Level: All; Answer: All)

California Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 27.9% 72.1%
9th Grade 30.6% 69.4%
11th Grade 32.1% 67.9%
Non-Traditional 37.2% 62.8%
Alameda County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 26.4% 73.6%
9th Grade 28.5% 71.5%
11th Grade 30.0% 70.0%
Non-Traditional 35.5% 64.5%
Alpine County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade LNE LNE
9th Grade N/A N/A
11th Grade N/A N/A
Non-Traditional N/A N/A
Amador County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 36.9% 63.1%
9th Grade 36.3% 63.7%
11th Grade 30.5% 69.5%
Non-Traditional LNE LNE
Butte County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 26.9% 73.1%
9th Grade 28.5% 71.5%
11th Grade 33.2% 66.8%
Non-Traditional 41.0% 59.0%
Calaveras County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 28.1% 71.9%
9th Grade 27.3% 72.7%
11th Grade 38.6% 61.4%
Non-Traditional 40.8% 59.2%
Colusa County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 21.2% 78.8%
9th Grade 32.1% 67.9%
11th Grade 34.2% 65.8%
Non-Traditional LNE LNE
Contra Costa County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 25.9% 74.1%
9th Grade 30.6% 69.4%
11th Grade 31.3% 68.7%
Non-Traditional 36.4% 63.6%
Del Norte County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 36.6% 63.4%
9th Grade 35.9% 64.1%
11th Grade 33.1% 66.9%
Non-Traditional LNE LNE
El Dorado County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 27.2% 72.8%
9th Grade 28.8% 71.2%
11th Grade 30.2% 69.8%
Non-Traditional 41.4% 58.6%
Fresno County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 31.3% 68.7%
9th Grade 34.1% 65.9%
11th Grade 35.9% 64.1%
Non-Traditional 49.4% 50.6%
Glenn County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 28.7% 71.3%
9th Grade 30.2% 69.8%
11th Grade 32.9% 67.1%
Non-Traditional LNE LNE
Humboldt County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 24.8% 75.2%
9th Grade 31.6% 68.4%
11th Grade 28.7% 71.3%
Non-Traditional 40.6% 59.4%
Imperial County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 30.4% 69.6%
9th Grade 33.4% 66.6%
11th Grade 32.2% 67.8%
Non-Traditional 36.8% 63.2%
Inyo County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 30.0% 70.0%
9th Grade 32.8% 67.2%
11th Grade 41.6% 58.4%
Non-Traditional 45.4% 54.6%
Kern County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 27.7% 72.3%
9th Grade 32.3% 67.7%
11th Grade 33.8% 66.2%
Non-Traditional 40.0% 60.0%
Kings County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 29.4% 70.6%
9th Grade 33.5% 66.5%
11th Grade 35.5% 64.5%
Non-Traditional 50.5% 49.5%
Lake County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 30.6% 69.4%
9th Grade 37.7% 62.3%
11th Grade 38.6% 61.4%
Non-Traditional 48.0% 52.0%
Lassen County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 32.0% 68.0%
9th Grade LNE LNE
11th Grade LNE LNE
Non-Traditional LNE LNE
Los Angeles County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 28.0% 72.0%
9th Grade 30.7% 69.3%
11th Grade 31.7% 68.3%
Non-Traditional 35.7% 64.3%
Madera County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 29.4% 70.6%
9th Grade 32.0% 68.0%
11th Grade 30.1% 69.9%
Non-Traditional 38.1% 61.9%
Marin County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 25.6% 74.4%
9th Grade 25.0% 75.0%
11th Grade 26.8% 73.2%
Non-Traditional 34.5% 65.5%
Mariposa County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 44.0% 56.0%
9th Grade 27.0% 73.0%
11th Grade 34.8% 65.2%
Non-Traditional LNE LNE
Mendocino County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 30.5% 69.5%
9th Grade 30.7% 69.3%
11th Grade 32.7% 67.3%
Non-Traditional 33.4% 66.6%
Merced County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 29.9% 70.1%
9th Grade 33.3% 66.7%
11th Grade 33.9% 66.1%
Non-Traditional 35.7% 64.3%
Modoc County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 26.2% 73.8%
9th Grade 32.4% 67.6%
11th Grade 37.0% 63.0%
Non-Traditional LNE LNE
Mono County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 37.0% 63.0%
9th Grade 26.9% 73.1%
11th Grade 32.8% 67.2%
Non-Traditional N/A N/A
Monterey County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 30.7% 69.3%
9th Grade 32.3% 67.7%
11th Grade 31.6% 68.4%
Non-Traditional 31.5% 68.5%
Napa County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 26.2% 73.8%
9th Grade 27.7% 72.3%
11th Grade 31.4% 68.6%
Non-Traditional 40.7% 59.3%
Nevada County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 27.0% 73.0%
9th Grade 25.9% 74.1%
11th Grade 29.7% 70.3%
Non-Traditional 39.9% 60.1%
Orange County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 26.3% 73.7%
9th Grade 28.2% 71.8%
11th Grade 30.8% 69.2%
Non-Traditional 34.3% 65.7%
Placer County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 27.3% 72.7%
9th Grade 24.1% 75.9%
11th Grade 26.6% 73.4%
Non-Traditional 43.7% 56.3%
Plumas County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 31.6% 68.4%
9th Grade 30.5% 69.5%
11th Grade 26.5% 73.5%
Non-Traditional N/A N/A
Riverside County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 28.0% 72.0%
9th Grade 30.8% 69.2%
11th Grade 32.9% 67.1%
Non-Traditional 37.1% 62.9%
Sacramento County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 29.9% 70.1%
9th Grade 30.9% 69.1%
11th Grade 33.5% 66.5%
Non-Traditional 36.5% 63.5%
San Benito County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 26.0% 74.0%
9th Grade 28.5% 71.5%
11th Grade 34.0% 66.0%
Non-Traditional 35.4% 64.6%
San Bernardino County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 30.5% 69.5%
9th Grade 33.5% 66.5%
11th Grade 34.2% 65.8%
Non-Traditional 37.4% 62.6%
San Diego County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 27.1% 72.9%
9th Grade 29.4% 70.6%
11th Grade 31.4% 68.6%
Non-Traditional 37.2% 62.8%
San Francisco County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 24.5% 75.5%
9th Grade 27.2% 72.8%
11th Grade 27.6% 72.4%
Non-Traditional 32.7% 67.3%
San Joaquin County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 29.6% 70.4%
9th Grade 33.9% 66.1%
11th Grade 37.0% 63.0%
Non-Traditional 36.0% 64.0%
San Luis Obispo County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 25.6% 74.4%
9th Grade 27.3% 72.7%
11th Grade 30.9% 69.1%
Non-Traditional 45.7% 54.3%
San Mateo County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 26.1% 73.9%
9th Grade 28.9% 71.1%
11th Grade 30.1% 69.9%
Non-Traditional 39.1% 60.9%
Santa Barbara County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 26.3% 73.7%
9th Grade 30.6% 69.4%
11th Grade 30.9% 69.1%
Non-Traditional 31.3% 68.7%
Santa Clara County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 24.2% 75.8%
9th Grade 27.4% 72.6%
11th Grade 31.1% 68.9%
Non-Traditional 36.7% 63.3%
Santa Cruz County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 29.1% 70.9%
9th Grade 30.3% 69.7%
11th Grade 27.2% 72.8%
Non-Traditional 36.2% 63.8%
Shasta County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 31.5% 68.5%
9th Grade 33.7% 66.3%
11th Grade 31.4% 68.6%
Non-Traditional 38.9% 61.1%
Sierra County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 32.3% 67.7%
9th Grade 35.5% 64.5%
11th Grade 27.3% 72.7%
Non-Traditional N/A N/A
Siskiyou County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 28.5% 71.5%
9th Grade 32.8% 67.2%
11th Grade 32.1% 67.9%
Non-Traditional 33.9% 66.1%
Solano County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 28.9% 71.1%
9th Grade 31.6% 68.4%
11th Grade 32.9% 67.1%
Non-Traditional 34.9% 65.1%
Sonoma County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 24.1% 75.9%
9th Grade 29.1% 70.9%
11th Grade 28.9% 71.1%
Non-Traditional 38.6% 61.4%
Stanislaus County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 30.9% 69.1%
9th Grade 34.3% 65.7%
11th Grade 34.6% 65.4%
Non-Traditional 35.3% 64.7%
Sutter County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 27.4% 72.6%
9th Grade 34.7% 65.3%
11th Grade 31.3% 68.7%
Non-Traditional 42.6% 57.4%
Tehama County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 28.1% 71.9%
9th Grade 28.9% 71.1%
11th Grade 32.4% 67.6%
Non-Traditional 36.5% 63.5%
Trinity County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 32.2% 67.8%
9th Grade 43.4% 56.6%
11th Grade 34.5% 65.5%
Non-Traditional 26.5% 73.5%
Tulare County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 30.6% 69.4%
9th Grade 32.9% 67.1%
11th Grade 34.2% 65.8%
Non-Traditional 40.9% 59.1%
Tuolumne County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 25.0% 75.0%
9th Grade 31.7% 68.3%
11th Grade 34.2% 65.8%
Non-Traditional 47.1% 52.9%
Ventura County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 26.6% 73.4%
9th Grade 30.7% 69.3%
11th Grade 32.5% 67.5%
Non-Traditional 37.5% 62.5%
Yolo County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 29.4% 70.6%
9th Grade 32.1% 67.9%
11th Grade 30.0% 70.0%
Non-Traditional 40.2% 59.8%
Yuba County Percent
Grade Level Yes No
7th Grade 32.1% 67.9%
9th Grade 35.9% 64.1%
11th Grade 35.3% 64.7%
Non-Traditional LNE LNE

Definition: Percentage of students in grades 7, 9, and 11, and non-traditional students, reporting whether in the past 12 months, they had felt so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more that they stopped doing some usual activities. The grade levels included in school district-level data depend on the grades offered in each school district; for example, high school districts do not include 7th grade data. "Non-traditional" students are those enrolled in Community Day Schools or Continuation Education.

Data Source: California Department of Education, California Healthy Kids Survey (WestEd). http://www.wested.org/chks

Footnote: The 2008-2010 time period reflects data from school years 2008-2009 and 2009-2010. N/A indicates that the survey was not administered in that period or that data are not available for that group. LNE indicates that for a specific answer there were fewer than 20 respondents.

Learn More About this Topic

Measures of Emotional Health on Kidsdata.org

Kidsdata.org offers a measure of “depression-related feelings,” which refers to student reports of whether, in the past 12 months, they felt so sad or hopeless every day for two weeks or more that they stopped doing some usual activities. This is one indicator of depression, though it is not a measure of clinical depression.

In addition, kidsdata.org provides the number and rate of hospitalizations for mental health issues per 1,000 children and youth ages 5-19, by age group.

The data on depression-related feelings come from the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) through a partnership with WestEd, which developed and administers the CHKS, and the California Department of Education. Data are available by grade level (7th, 9th, and 11th, and non-traditional students); gender and grade level; race/ethnicity; and level of connectedness to school. School connectedness is a summary measure that includes student reports of the following elements: being treated fairly, feeling close to people, feeling happy, feeling part of school, and feeling safe at school.

"Non-traditional" students are those enrolled in Community Day Schools or Continuation Education. According to EdSource, nearly 10% of public school students in California are enrolled in these programs.

Why This Topic Is Important

Emotional health includes self-confidence, the ability to form and maintain caring relationships, coping skills, optimism, and the ability to make positive choices. Sound emotional health, which is more than the absence of mental disorders, is critical to equipping young people for the challenges of growing up and living as healthy adults (1).

Depression is one of the most common emotional health problems among teens, estimated to affect 15-20% of youth under 18 in the U.S. (2). In 2011, almost 30% of high school students nationwide reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness – one indicator of depression (3). Youth diagnosed with depression often experience significant impairment in peer, family, school, and physical functioning (2, 4). Depressed teens also have higher rates of other emotional and behavioral health problems, such as anxiety, drug use, aggressiveness, and suicidal behavior; and they are more likely to experience depression and other psychological problems as adults (2, 4). In addition, rates of serious chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, are higher among individuals with depressive symptoms (5). Depression can be especially difficult to detect in children, as it can manifest differently in young people than in adults (4).

Sources for this narrative:

  1. American Psychological Association. (2012). Emotional health. Retrieved from: http://www.apa.org/topics/emotion/index.aspx
  2. Jaycox, L. H., et al. (2009). Impact of teen depression on academic, social, and physical functioning. Pediatrics, 124(4), e569-e605. Retrieved from: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/124/4/e596.full.pdf+html?sid=a7050435-b8ce-45e7-a73e-8cdd78d4ed3e
  3. Child Trends Data Bank. (2012). Adolescents who feel sad or hopeless. Retrieved from: http://www.childtrendsdatabank.org/?q=node/126
  4. Brent, D. A., & Birmaher, B. (2002). Adolescent depression. New England Journal of Medicine, 347, 667-671.
  5. Katon, W. J. (2003). Clinical and health services relationships between major depression, depressive symptoms, and general medical illness. Biological Psychiatry, 54(3), 216-226.

Policy Implications

Many primary care providers do not routinely screen youth for mental health issues, and teachers often lack the training or the time to identify emotional/mental health issues and refer students for intervention (1, 5). According to research and subject experts, policy options that could promote emotional health and prevent depression include:

  • Supporting efforts in schools to provide a positive, supportive environment and to offer comprehensive K-12 education for social-emotional development, including interpersonal communication, goal setting, anger management, and advocacy skills, as supported by the National Association of State Boards of Education and the California Education Code (9, 10, 11)
  • Promoting efforts in communities to provide youth with positive experiences, relationships, and opportunities, such as quality after-school programs, which can help youth develop skills to make healthy choices and become caring, responsible adults (8)
  • Ensuring adequate funding and training for a range of school professionals to recognize the signs of depression, self-injury, and suicidal ideation, and to connect students with appropriate services (2, 3, 5, 6), including specific training for meeting the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth (3, 4)
  • Structuring public health systems and insurance reimbursement policies to require depression screening and encourage regular administration of psychosocial exams to youth (1, 2, 7)

For more policy ideas and information on this topic, see kidsdata.org’s Research & Links section, or visit the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Also see the Policy Implications sections in the following kidsdata.org topics: School Safety, Bullying/Harassment at School, School Connectedness, Pupil Support Service Personnel, Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drugs, Child Abuse, and Foster Care.

Sources for this narrative:

  1. TeenScreen National Center for Mental Health Checkups at Columbia University. (2009). Adolescent mental health checkups: Recommendations to realizations. Retrieved from: http://www.teenscreen.org/images/stories/PDF/Event%20Report.pdf
  2. TeenScreen National Center for Mental Health Checkups at Columbia University. (n.d.). Youth suicide and prevention. Retrieved from: http://www.teenscreen.org/images/stories/PDF/YouthSuicideandPrevention.pdf
  3. Haas, A. P., et al. (2010). Suicide and suicide risk in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender populations: Review and recommendations. Journal of Homosexuality, 58(1), 10-51. Retrieved from: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00918369.2011.534038
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender health: Youth. Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/lgbthealth/youth.htm
  5. Suicide Prevention Resource Center. (2010). The role of teachers in preventing suicide. Retrieved from: http://www.sprc.org/featured_resources/customized/teachers.asp#role
  6. Mann, J. J., et al. (2005). Suicide prevention strategies: A systemic review. JAMA, 294(16), 2064-2074. Retrieved from: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=201761
  7. Goldenring, J. M., & Rosen, D. S. (2004). Getting into adolescent heads: An essential update. Contemporary Pediatrics, 21(1), 76. Retrieved from: http://www.aap.org/pubserv/PSVpreview/pages/Files/HEADSS.pdf
  8. Search Institute. (n.d.) Developmental Assets Research. Retrieved from: http://www.search-institute.org/research/assets
  9. California Education Code Section 51890. Retrieved from: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=edc&group=51001-52000&file=51890-51891
  10. National Association of State Boards of Education. (2010). National guidelines: Health, mental health and safety guidelines for schools. Retrieved from: http://www.nationalguidelines.org/guideline.cfm?guideNum=2-07
  11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009). School connectedness: Strategies for increasing protective factors among youth. Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/adolescenthealth/pdf/connectedness.pdf

How Children Are Faring

In California, about 28% of 7th graders, 31% of 9th graders, and 32% of 11th graders reported that, in the past 12 months, they had been so sad or hopeless every day for at least two weeks that they stopped doing some usual activities, according to 2008-10 data. Non-traditional students (i.e., those enrolled in Community Day Schools or Continuation Education) had the highest percentages reporting depression-related feelings in the past year: 37% in 2008-10.

As in previous years, greater percentages of females in 7th, 9th, and 11th grades reported depression-related feelings than their male peers in 2008-10. In addition, students who reported feeling less connected to their schools more often reported depression-related feelings. Among racial/ethnic groups, the percentage reporting depression-related feelings ranged from 27% to 34% in 2008-10, with the highest percentages among multiethnic and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students.

In 2011, there were 11,687 hospitalizations for mental health issues among children ages 5-14 in California (a rate of 1.2 per 1,000), and 23,514 among youth ages 15-19 (4.2 per 1,000). The statewide rate of hospitalizations increased by 33% among children ages 5-14 and by 27% among ages 15-19 between 2007 and 2011. Among counties with available data in 2011, the rate of hospitalizations due to mental health issues ranged from 0.5 to 3.4 per 1,000 children ages 5-14, and from 2.7 to 10.9 per 1,000 teens ages 15-19.

Research and Links

Websites with Related Information

Key Reports

County/Regional Reports