Spotlight: Depression in Students

A recent article on the Santa Fe New Mexican reveals some shocking information about today’s youth and depression. According to the article, 35 percent of seventh-graders and 37 percent of ninth-graders in Santa Fe feel, “hopeless every day for at least two weeks in a row.” These findings were the result of a health and wellness survey compiled by the Office of Student Wellness. Roughly 700 seventh-graders and 550 ninth-graders were surveyed last spring and the results, in addition to depression findings, has shown a decrease in binge drinking and smoking among teens, but a slight increase in marijuana use. To read more about the survey’s findings, read the article here.

PublicSchoolWORKS’ (PSW) Depression in Students course helps educate school staff on the importance, signs and causes of student depression to ensure that they are able to recognize and respond when they encounter a student who may be suffering from depression. PSW’s Depression in Students course focuses on:

• Types of Depression
• Causes of Childhood Depression
• Symptoms of Childhood Depression
• Comparison of Symptoms Between Adults, Children, and Adolescents
• The Effects of Childhood Depression
• Helping a Child with Depression

To learn more about how you can educate your staff on depression in students, email sales@publicschoolworks.com.. To share your story of how you handled student depression, comment on our Facebook page.