Mental disorders in children involve significant changes in how they learn, behave, or manage their emotions. These changes can cause distress and difficulties in daily life. Common mental disorders diagnosed during childhood include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and behavior disorders.
There are various methods to estimate how many children experience mental health challenges. One can use surveys, such as the National Survey of Children’s Health, to gather information on children diagnosed with mental disorders and whether they have received treatment. These surveys rely on parents reporting the diagnoses provided by healthcare professionals.
Explore more facts about mental health disorders in children below.
Facts about mental disorders in U.S. children
ADHD, behavior problems, anxiety, and depression are the most frequently diagnosed mental disorders among children:
ADHD: 9.4% of children aged 2-17 years, or approximately 6.1 million, have been diagnosed.
Behavior Problems: 7.4% of children aged 3-17 years, or about 4.5 million, have a diagnosed behavior problem.
Anxiety: 7.1% of children aged 3-17 years, or roughly 4.4 million, have been diagnosed with anxiety.
Depression: 3.2% of children aged 3-17 years, or around 1.9 million, have a depression diagnosis.
Many mental health conditions in children frequently occur alongside one another. For example:
Among children aged 3-17 years with depression, approximately 3 in 4 (73.8%) also have anxiety, and nearly 1 in 2 (47.2%) have behavior problems.
For children aged 3-17 years with anxiety, more than 1 in 3 (37.9%) also have behavior problems, and about 1 in 3 (32.3%) also experience depression.
Among children aged 3-17 years with behavior problems, over 1 in 3 (36.6%) also have anxiety, and around 1 in 5 (20.3%) also have depression.
The percentage of children diagnosed with anxiety and depression has increased over time:
The rate of children aged 6–17 years who have ever been diagnosed with either anxiety or depression rose from 5.4% in 2003 to 8% in 2007 and then to 8.4% in 2011–2012.
The percentage of children diagnosed with anxiety increased from 5.5% in 2007 to 6.4% in 2011–2012.
Diagnoses of depression remained relatively stable, with 4.7% in 2007 compared to 4.9% in 2011–2012.
The percentage of children receiving treatment varies depending on the mental disorder:
Nearly 8 in 10 children (78.1%) aged 3-17 years with depression received treatment.
About 6 in 10 children (59.3%) aged 3-17 years with anxiety received treatment.
More than 5 in 10 children (53.5%) aged 3-17 years with behavior disorders received treatment.
Mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders often begin early:
In the United States, 1 in 6 children aged 2–8 years (17.4%) have been diagnosed with a mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder.
The likelihood of mental health diagnoses shifts as children grow older:
Depression and anxiety diagnoses become more common with age.
Behavior problems are most frequently diagnosed in children aged 6–11 years compared to younger or older age groups.
Various family, community, and healthcare factors are linked to children’s mental health:
Among children aged 2–8 years, boys were more likely than girls to be diagnosed with a mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder.
Over 1 in 5 children (22%) living below 100% of the federal poverty level had a mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder.
Age and poverty level influenced the likelihood of children receiving treatment for anxiety, depression, or behavior problems.
Note: The rates provided on this page are estimates based on parent-reported data collected through nationally representative surveys. This method has certain limitations. It is unclear how accurately these diagnoses reflect the actual conditions of the children. While parent-reported diagnoses may align with information from medical records, some children may have mental disorders that remain undiagnosed.
