Overall, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey given to Newtons middle and high school students in last fall show that Newton youths are engaging in less risky behavior than the state averages, though concerns remain.

The risk assessment survey given to students every two years, was given to 6000 students between grades 6-12 last November. After the removal of frivolous and otherwise flawed responses, 3000 responses were analyzed.

Mental Health

Forty seven percent of Newton Middle School students and 74 percent of high school students describe their lives as either somewhat stressful or very stressful.

Students most commonly report school issues are what causes them stress, followed by social issues, appearance issues, and family issues.

Eighteen percent of students report experiencing depression and 8 percent reported seeking medical attention for depression. Twelve percent of students reported hurting themselves on purpose in the previous 12 months.

Four percent of students reported attempting suicide in the previous twelve months. Statewide, 7 percent of students reported attempting suicide.

Several school committee members said that while overall, the trends were positive, but any number of students attempting suicide is alarming. Committee member Jonathan Yeo asked what the administration plans to do to with the information to get the numbers even lower.

Of course you want the numbers to be zero, but you know theyre never going to be, said Committee Chair Claire Sokoloff. This couldnt be more important."

Assistant Superintendent for Student Services Judy Levin-Charns said that she would share the survey results with all principals and continue to refine her efforts to serve students social and emotional needs.

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Newton risk behavior survey shows positive trends