Psychology

Boys experience depression differently than girls. Here’s why that matters

Surveys of teen mental health may underestimate boys’ despair

A photo of a teen boy's profile with the light shining just on his face.

The ways in which boys tend to experience depression are often overlooked on typical surveys of teen mental health.

Jasmin Merdan/Moment/Getty Images Plus

By Sujata Gupta

- More than 2 years ago

Teenagers in the United States are in crisis. That news got hammered home earlier this year following the release of a nationally representative survey showing that over half of high school girls reported persistent feelings of “sadness or hopelessness” — common words used to screen for depression.