Root Causes: What are the Forces and Influences at Work?

There is no specific identifiable cause of mental health problems that serves as an explanation for every child across all circumstances. Mental health problems are currently understood to be caused by the interaction of genetic and environmental factors that include: inherited traits, biological factors, life experiences and brain chemistry. [1] There are, however, some factors that have been shown to have particular impact children’s social, emotional and mental health. They include:

• Poverty: Children and youth from low-income households are at an increased risk for social, emotional and behavioral health problems. According to the Center for Children in Poverty, 21 percent of low-income children and youth (ages 6 through 17) have mental health problems. Additionally, 57 percent of these low-income children and youth come from households with incomes at or below the federal poverty level. [2] Obviously, it is not directly the lack of money that causes mental health problems – poverty is associated with parental stress, inadequate early care and education, and family or community violence, which in turn contribute to mental health problems.

• Trauma: Experiencing physical or mental trauma can have a profound impact on children. When children are injured, see others harmed by violence, suffer sexual abuse, lose loved ones or witness other tragic events, it can increase their risk of experiencing social, emotional or behavioral health problems. [3] Additionally, children and youth who are in the child welfare (50 percent) and juvenile justice systems (67-70 percent) have higher rates of mental health problems than children and youth in the general population. [4]

• Inadequate Treatment: Study after study has shown that children with mental health disorders who are receiving appropriate treatment are more successful in their schools, homes and communities. However, a majority of children and youth who require mental health treatment do not receive it. There are significant differences across states in regard to the mental health treatment they provide children, spanning 31 percent to 51 percent unmet need for mental health services. [5]