In partnership with:

A fourteen-year-old sits alone in a dimly lit bedroom, scrolling through a streaming menu after an overwhelming school day. When characters on screen experience panic, isolation, or depression, this teenager finds a vocabulary for personal struggles. Accurate portrayals of mental health on TV watched by children and teens offer more than dramatic entertainment; they serve as a crucial intervention tool. These stories help young viewers recognize their emotions, communicate with trusted adults, and realize they are not alone.

To evaluate how media addresses these realities, the Geena Davis Institute analyzed the most popular English-language scripted television series across broadcast, streaming, and cable for audiences ages 2 to 11 and 12 to 17 in 2021 and 2022, based on Nielsen metrics. Generous support for this project was provided by Regina K. Scully and the Artemis Rising Foundation.

Key Findings: Quick Overview

Our analysis of popular youth television reveals significant gaps between real-world mental health struggles and on-screen representation:

  • Low Overall Prevalence: Only 17.4% of all reviewed episodes include at least one character with an explicit mental health issue.
  • Rarity Among Main Characters: Just 1.3% of prominent characters have an explicit mental health issue, while 2.1% have an implicit mental health issue where struggles are implied rather than stated.
  • Absence in LGBTQIA+ Portrayals: Despite the severe mental health pressures facing LGBTQIA+ youth, zero LGBTQIA+ characters struggled with mental health issues in the episodes analyzed.
  • Underrepresentation Among Young People: Characters ages 50 and older are most frequently shown with explicit mental health issues (3.5%), followed by children (1.7%), teens (1.7%), and adults ages 20 to 49 (0.7%).
  • Gender Disparities in Diagnoses: Male characters with explicit mental health issues are about twice as likely as female characters to struggle with substance use disorder. Conversely, female characters are 12 times as likely as male characters to inflict self-harm and three times as likely to experience mood disorders like depression or bipolar disorder.
  • Divergence in Help-Seeking Behavior: Half (50.0%) of female characters with explicit mental health issues actively seek help, compared to only 21.3% of male characters.

Examining On-Screen Condition Disparities Across Gender and Age

Young people in the U.S. face unprecedented mental health challenges, yet television storylines rarely reflect this reality. When shows do address emotional well-being, they often relegate these experiences to older adults rather than the children and adolescents watching.

Furthermore, rigid gender divisions persist in these portrayals. Male characters frequently internalize distress until it manifests as substance abuse, while rarely demonstrating help-seeking behavior. Meanwhile, female characters express internal struggles through mood disorders or self-harm, but demonstrate significantly higher rates of seeking support. Missing entirely are LGBTQIA+ youth, whose real-world struggles remain completely unrepresented in these popular narratives.

Recommendations for Writers and Television Producers

Storytellers hold a unique opportunity to normalize mental well-being and destigmatize help-seeking behavior. Based on our findings, we offer the following actionable guidance for creative teams:

  1. Write More Characters Facing Mental Health Conditions: Bring mental health struggles into recurring storylines so young viewers learn to recognize symptoms in themselves and peers.
  2. Apply Intersectional Casting: Feature girls, women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and people of color facing mental health challenges, reflecting the communities most impacted in the U.S.
  3. Avoid Blame and Shame: Frame mental health conditions around external sources like societal pressure, systemic barriers, or unexpected trauma, rather than portraying them as individual moral failures.
  4. Name Conditions Explicitly: Move away from vague, ambiguous depictions. Mention specific conditions by name across multiple episodes to reduce social taboos and foster open dialogue.
  5. Model Realistic Help-Seeking Behaviors: Consult with qualified mental health professionals to write realistic scenes where young characters seek support from trusted adults, counselors, or friends.

Supporting Evidence-Based Media Equity Research

Data-driven insights empower content creators to build narratives where every young person feels seen and supported. At the Geena Davis Institute, we partner with industry leaders to transform these research findings into systemic change across global media.

Support our ongoing research efforts to cultivate balanced screen portrayals for future generations. Donate to the Geena Davis Institute today to help us continue this work.

How to Cite This Report

Terán, L., and Conroy, M. (2024). Are the Kids All Right? Portrayals of Mental Health in TV Watched by Children and Teens. The Geena Davis Institute.