Black adolescents in Canada, particularly girls, are less likely to access mental health services than their white peers, according to a new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
The research, led by Mercedes Sobers, a Ph.D. candidate in epidemiology at the University of Toronto and research coordinator at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), found that Black youth often only seek care in crisis situations, such as interactions with the justice system or when intensive treatment is required.
“Adolescence is a crucial developmental stage and a critical period for the onset of mental health problems,” Sobers and her co-authors write. The study highlights a pressing gap in data regarding mental health service usage among Black youth and other racialized groups in Canada.
The study analyzed responses from 12,368 students in grades 7–12 who identified as Black or white, using data from the 2015, 2017, and 2019 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey. Participants represented 52 school boards across Ontario, including English and French schools in both the public and Catholic systems.
Researchers observed that Black females consistently used mental health services less than their white counterparts, and the gap widened as psychological distress increased. Black males showed a different trend: those with low distress were slightly more likely than white males to access services, but service use dropped significantly once distress reached moderate levels. Overall, higher distress correlated with lower service utilization among Black youth.
The authors emphasize that addressing Black adolescent mental health requires consideration of race, gender, and levels of distress. Barriers to care include racism, cultural stigma, a lack of culturally competent services, and insufficient mental health professionals trained to address the unique challenges faced by Black youth.
“Black boys are often perceived as older and more threatening than white peers,” the authors note. “When they show signs of psychological distress, they may face disciplinary or punitive responses instead of support, sometimes with fatal consequences.”
The study calls for targeted policy and practice changes to improve mental health service access. Researchers recommend intersectional approaches that address racism and gender-specific needs while enhancing culturally responsive care for Black adolescents.
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