A new study shows that teenage girls and gender-diverse teens in Australia are more likely to suffer from mental health problems during high school. Those from poorer families are especially at risk.
The study, called All Things Being Equal?, followed more than 6,600 Australian students from Year 7 to Year 10. It was published in June 2025 in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.
Researchers looked at how symptoms of depression and anxiety changed over time. They found that mental health got worse as teens got older.
Dr. Scarlett Smout from the University of Sydney’s Matilda Centre led the study. She said, “Mental health symptoms were very common and increased with age. By Year 10, nearly 3 in 10 students had signs of major depression. About 1 in 4 had serious emotional distress or moderate-to-severe anxiety.”
She added, “Even though our sample doesn’t include every teen in Australia, it shows that many young people today are struggling more than before.”
Dr. Katrina Champion, another researcher on the study, said it’s important to know which groups need more help.
“Girls and gender-diverse teens had more problems than boys,” she said. “Teens from poorer families were even more affected.”
She said we need to create support programs just for these groups, to better meet their needs.
Professor Terry Slevin from the Public Health Association of Australia said the results were worrying.
“This shows that many young people have mental health problems that get worse over time,” he said. “Those who are already vulnerable are hurting the most. We need more research to understand why this is happening and how to stop it.”
The study shows how important it is to help teens early—especially girls and gender-diverse teens from low-income families.
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