Mental Health of Children and Young People in England, 2023 - wave 4 follow up to the 2017 survey

This section of the report presents findings on problems with sleep and loneliness, as well as on substance use, online gambling, self-harm and daily activities. Trends over time are also included. This report focuses on differences that are statistically significant. Where trends over time are available, statistically significant differences between 2022 and 2023 are reported.

Parents of 8 to 10 year olds were asked whether their child had problems getting to sleep, waking in the night, or waking early in the previous 7 nights. They were also asked on how many nights their child had experienced each problem. The number of nights they experienced each problem was added together to get the total number of times they had experienced a sleep problem over the previous 7 nights.

Older children aged 11 to 16 years, and young people aged 17 to 25 years were asked these questions directly.

These questions were asked in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Within the Excel data tables comparisons over time are presented for children aged 8 to 16 years, and young people aged 17 to 23 years (to allow comparisons with 2021, when 24 year olds were not included).  

In 2023, 37.8% of children aged 8 to 16 years had a problem with sleep 3 or more times over the previous 7 nights.

Of children with a probable mental disorder, 76.5% had a sleep problem 3 or more times over the previous 7 nights compared with 25.0% of those unlikely to have a mental disorder.

In 2023, 64.9% of young people aged 17 to 23 years had a problem with sleep 3 or more times over the previous 7 nights; higher than the rate in children aged 8 to 16 years. This figure was higher for young women (74.7%) compared with young men (55.7%).

Rates of sleep problems were higher in young people with a probable mental disorder, 91.4% had a sleep problem 3 or more times over the previous 7 nights, compared with 52.9% of those unlikely to have a mental disorder.

For more information see: Table 2.1 of the Excel data tables. 

Figure 2.1 base: 8 to 23 year olds.

Children aged 11 to 16 years, and young people aged 17 to 25 years were asked how often they felt lonely. These questions were asked in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. Within the Excel data tables comparisons over time are presented for children aged 11 to 16 years, and young people aged 17 to 22 years (to allow comparisons with 2020, when 23 year olds were not included).

In 2023, 5.5% of children aged 11 to 16 years said they often or always felt lonely.

Children with a probable mental disorder were more likely to feel lonely; 16.6% of those with a probable mental disorder said they felt lonely often or always, compared with 0.8% of those unlikely to have a mental disorder.

For more information see: Table 2.2a of the Excel data tables.

In 2023, 12.0% of young people aged 17 to 22 years reported often or always feeling lonely, this was double the figure for children aged 11 to 16 years (5.5%).

Loneliness was higher among young people with a probable mental disorder: 29.5% reported that they often or always felt lonely, compared with 5.2% of those unlikely to have a mental disorder.

For more information see: Table 2.2b of the Excel data tables.

Figure 2.2 base: 11 to 22 year olds.

Children aged 11 to 16 years were asked on how many of the past 7 days they had done each of the following:

• exercised indoors or outdoors
• enjoyed time outdoors in green space
• taken part in any groups, clubs or organisations outside of school time
• played video games on an electronic device
• eaten a meal together with family
• spent time with the rest of the family

Similar, but not identical questions were also asked of young people aged 17 to 25 years.

These questions were asked in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Within the Excel data tables comparisons over time are presented for children aged 11 to 16 years, and young people aged 17 to 23 years (to allow comparisons with 2021, when 24 year olds were not included).

There were slight differences in the set of questions asked in each year, as indicated in Table 2.3. Timing may also have affected responses, as surveys took place at different times of year with some survey periods coinciding with school holidays. Therefore, caution is needed when comparing results over time.  

In terms of activities completed on 4 or more days, out of the previous 7 days, for children aged 11 to 16 years:

• 80.3% had eaten a meal with their family 
• 69.4% had spent time with their family 
• 59.4% had played video games on an electronic device 
• 56.0% had exercised indoors or outdoors 
• 40.0% had enjoyed time outdoors in green space 
• 16.3% had taken part in groups, clubs or organisations outside of school time 

Figures were similar for boys and girls, except for playing video games. Girls were more likely to have not played video games in the past 7 days than boys (27.4% compared with 4.5%).

Children with a probable mental disorder were more likely to have not exercised at all in the previous 7 days (17.2% compared with 4.4% of those unlikely to have a mental disorder). Those with a probable mental disorder were also more likely to have not taken part in any groups, clubs or organisations in the previous 7 days (45.1% compared with 27.5% of those unlikely to have a mental disorder).

For more information see: Table 2.3 of the Excel data tables. 

Figure 2.3 base: 11 to 16 year olds.

In terms of activities completed on 4 or more days, out of the the previous 7 days, for young people aged 17 to 23 years:

• 64.3% had spent time with those they live with 
• 59.5% had eaten a meal with those they live with 
• 44.1% had exercised indoors or outdoors 
• 37.0% had played video games on an electronic device  
• 24.5% had enjoyed time outdoors in green space 
• 8.3% had taken part in any groups, clubs or organisations 

Figures were similar for young men and young women across most activities. However, 68.3% of young women had not taken part in any groups, clubs or organisations over the past 7 days, compared with 51.5% of young men. Young women were more likely to have not played video games in the past 7 days than young men (49.2% compared with 16.9%).

Young people with a probable mental disorder were more likely than those unlikely to have a mental disorder to have not participated in a range of activities in the previous 7 days:

• 80.0% of young people with a probable mental disorder had not taken part in any groups, clubs or organisations compared with 52.7% of those unlikely to have a mental disorder
• 34.0% of young people with a probable mental disorder had not spent time in green space compared with 20.1% of those unlikely to have a mental disorder
• 26.6% of young people with a probable mental disorder had not exercised at all compared with 8.7% of those unlikely to have a mental disorder
• 25.6% of young people with a probable mental disorder had not had a meal with those they lived with compared with 8.2% of those unlikely to have a mental disorder
• 18.9% of young people with a probable mental disorder had not spent time with those they lived with compared with 5.5% of those unlikely to have a mental disorder

For more information see: Table 2.3 of the Excel data tables.

Figure 2.4 base: 17 to 23 year olds.

Children aged 11 to 16 years, and young people aged 17 to 25 years, were asked on how many of the past 7 days they had done each of the following: 

• had a drink containing alcohol
• used cannabis or other drugs
• smoked 1 or more cigarettes
• used an e-cigarette or vaping device
• gambled money online

Children aged 11 to 16 years were only asked about gambling money online in 2022 and 2023. Children and young people were only asked about vaping in 2023. For the other behaviours, the questions were asked in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. Within the Excel data tables comparisons over time are presented for children aged 11 to 16 years, and young people aged 17 to 22 years (to allow comparisons with 2020, when 23 year olds were not included).

In 2023, most children aged 11 to 16 years reported that they had not had alcohol (95.1%), cigarettes (98.8%), cannabis and other drugs (99.1%), or used an e-cigarette or vaping device (96.3%) in the previous 7 days. The vast majority of children also reported that they had not gambled money online (99.5%).

For more information see: Table 2.4 of the Excel data tables.

In 2023, the majority of young people aged 17 to 22 years reported that they had not smoked cigarettes (87.3%) or used cannabis and other drugs (91.0%) in the previous 7 days.

In terms of alcohol consumption in the previous 7 days:

• 54.8% reported they had not drunk alcohol
• 39.3% said they had drunk alcohol on 1 to 3 days
• 4.8% said they had drunk alcohol on 4 to 5 days
• 1.2% had drunk alcohol on 6 or 7 days

Therefore, 45.2% of 17 to 22 year olds had drunk alcohol on at least 1 day in the previous 7 days.

In terms of vaping or e-cigarette use in the previous use in the previous 7 days: 

• 78.2% reported they had not used a vaping or e-cigarette device
• 8.5% said they had used a vaping or e-cigarette device on 1 to 3 days
• 1.8% said they had used a vaping or e-cigarette device on 4 to 5 days
• 11.4% had used a vaping or e-cigarette device on 6 or 7 days

Therefore, 21.8% of 17 to 22 year olds had used a vaping or e-cigarette device on at least 1 day in the previous 7 days.

In terms of gambling online in the previous 7 days:

• 94.4% said they had not gambled online 
• 4.4% reported gambling online on 1 to 3 days
• 0.6% had gambled on 4 to 5 days
• 0.6% had gambled on 6 or 7 days

Therefore, 5.6% of 17 to 22 year olds had gambled money online on at least 1 day in the previous 7 days.

Rates of substance use were similar in young men and young women, but young women (1.2%) were less likely than young men (9.3%) to have gambled with money online in the past 7 days.

Young people with a probable mental disorder were more likely to have used a vaping or e-cigarette device in the previous 7 days (32.9%) than those unlikely to have a mental disorder (18.4%). They were also more likely to have used cannabis or other drugs in the previous 7 days than young people unlikely to have a mental disorder (19.5% compared with 3.6%).

For more information see: Table 2.4 of the Excel data tables.

Figure 2.5 base: 17 to 22 year olds.

Parents of those aged 8 to 16 years were asked whether their child had either talked about harming themselves or had tried to harm themselves in the past 4 weeks. Parents were also asked whether their child had tried to harm themselves at any point in their life. The same questions were asked directly to young people aged 17 to 25 years.

These questions were included in 2022 and 2023 only. Within the Excel data tables comparisons over time are presented for children aged 8 to 16 years, and young people aged 17 to 24 years (to allow comparisons with 2022, when 25 year olds were not included).

Similar questions were asked in the 2017 survey, however the questions had to be modified to allow them to be asked in an online rather than face to face survey. While the 2017 survey asked whether a child or young person had tried to harm or kill themselves, in 2022 and 2023 the questions only asked about harming themselves. Direct comparisons should therefore not be made with the estimates in the 2017 report.

According to parent report, 2.4% of children aged 8 to 16 years had talked about harming themselves and 1.6% had tried to harm themselves in the past 4 weeks.

Regarding lifetime rates, 9.4% of children had ever self-harmed.

Self-harm was more common in children with a probable mental disorder:

• 9.1% of children with a probable mental disorder had talked about self-harm in the past 4 weeks compared with 0.2% of those unlikely to have a mental disorder
• 5.9% of children with a probable mental disorder had tried to harm themselves in the past 4 weeks, compared with 0.4% of those unlikely to have a mental disorder
• 30.4% of children with a probable mental disorder had ever tried to harm themselves, compared with 4.0% of those unlikely to have a mental disorder

For more information see: Table 2.5a of the Excel data tables.

Figure 2.6 base: 8 to 16 year olds

In 2023, 9.1% of young people aged 17 to 24 years had talked about self-harm in the past 4 weeks, and 4.8% had tried to harm themselves in the same time period.

In terms of lifetime rates, 36.8% of young people had ever tried to harm themselves.

Self-harm was more common in young women than young men. In young women aged 17 to 24 years, 12.9% talked about self-harm in the past 4 weeks, compared with 5.6% of young men. Young women were also more likely to have tried to harm themselves in the past 4 weeks compared with young men (8.5% versus 1.3%) and to have ever harmed themselves (45.7% versus 28.8%).

As with children, self-harm was also more common in young people with a probable mental disorder:

• 20.5% of young people with a probable mental disorder had talked about self-harm in the past 4 weeks compared with 2.1% of those unlikely to have a mental disorder.
• 10.6% of young people with a probable mental disorder had tried to harm themselves in the past 4 weeks, compared with 0.8% of those unlikely to have a mental disorder.
• 69.5% of young people with a probable mental disorder had ever tried to harm themselves, compared with 21.3% of those unlikely to have a mental disorder.

For more information see: Table 2.5b of the Excel data tables.

Figure 2.7 base: 17 to 24 year olds.