2023 North Dakota Youth Risk Behavior Survey
Every two years, the CDC administers the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) to teens in middle and high schools throughout the country. The YRBS examines health behaviors and experiences, and data is reported separately for each state.
In North Dakota in 2023, the statistics provide evidence of a mental health crisis.
What are the numbers?
48% of middle school and 24% of high school girls report being bullied at school, a number that has steadily increased since 2019. Furthermore, 42% of middle school and 20% of high school girls report being cyberbullied, a number that has drastically increased since 2019 and is double the number of boys who report being electronically bullied.
When compared to boys of the same age, girls are suffering.
15% of girls in middle school report experiencing sexual pressure, and 14% of girls in high school report experiencing sexual violence. These numbers are increasing, and are over THREE times the rate of boys.
Girls also report trying to lose weight more often than boys. In fact, over 50% of girls in middle and high school are currently trying to lose weight - a rate that has not changed over the past 4 years.
Girls who suffer are everywhere.
They are our daughters, our family members, our friends. They are on the basketball team, they are on the debate team, they are top students. All girls are at risk.
The picture for teen girls is bleak.
Regarding mental health, nearly half of all teen girls in middle and high school report feeling sad or hopeless everyday, which is twice the rate of boys.
37% of girls in middle school and 43% of girls in high school state that their mental health (including stress, anxiety, and depression) is not good, which is THREE times the rate of boys. Nearly half of all teen girls report feeling sad or hopeless every day, which is twice the rate of boys and has increased in the last two years.
1 in 3 ND girls has seriously thought about killing themselves. 1 in 8 ND girls has attempted suicide. We need to change these numbers.
BIO Girls and BIO Teens provide hope.
In our confidence and mental wellness building programs serving girls in grades 2-11, we’ve seen positive changes in the girls who participate.
In BIO Girls:
7 out of 10 girls experience increased overall self-esteem.
7 out of 10 girls experience higher body esteem.
50% of girls experience decreased anxiety.
In BIO Teens:
90% of teens experience increased self-confidence.
80% of teens experience higher body acceptance.
2 out of 3 teens experience decreased anxiety.
Together, we can make a difference.
Volunteer to lead a BIO Girls or BIO Teens program. Register your daughter for a program. Recommend BIO Girls or BIO Teens to a friend. Become a Faithful Friend, supporting a BIO Girls program participant in need.