Asian high school students experience racism the most per CDC’s latest 2023 youth survey

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released its latest Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) that looks at a range of health behaviors and experiences of our nation’s high school students. In 2023, over 3 in 10 or 32% of high school students experienced racism in school. Students of color were 2 to 3 times more likely than White students to report this. At 57% Asian students were most likely to report ever experiencing racism in school. Students who experienced racism were more likely to report poor mental health, suicide risk, and substance use than students who have not experienced racism. The YRBS also includes student behaviors and experiences in mental health, substance use, bullying, and newer areas such as parental monitoring and social media use.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released its latest Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) that looks at the health behaviors and experiences of our nation’s high school students. New in the 2023 YRBS is an examination of racism in school and its association with health. Moreover, the YRBS also includes data on student mental health, substance use, bullying, and newer areas such as parental monitoring and social media use.

The YRBS breaks down student responses by sex, race and ethnicity, and sexual and gender identity to highlight disparities and areas for improvement in adolescent health and well-being. Over 20,000 high school respondents were included in the 2023 report, of which 4% or 995 of respondents identify as Asian, and 0.4% or 105 respondents identify as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Some of the survey’s key findings on Asian and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students are summarized below.

Asian high school students experience racism the most

Racism affects mental health and is understudied among adolescents. The YRBS found that students who experienced racism were more likely to report poor mental health, suicide risk, and substance use than those who have not experienced racism. In 2023, 3 in 10 or 32% of high school students experienced racism in school. Students of color were 2 to 3 times more likely than White students to report this. At 57%, Asian students were most likely to report ever experiencing racism in school, followed by 49% of Multiracial, 46% of Black, 39% of Hispanic, 38% of American Indian or Alaskan Native, 38% of Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and 17% of White students.

77% of Asian students report high parental monitoring

U.S. high school students experience high parental monitoring. 84% of high school students reported that their parents or other adults in their family always or most of the time knew where they were going or whom they would be with. Asian students were slightly less likely to report high parental monitoring than White, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Black, Multicultural, and Hispanic students.

76% of Asian students used social media several times a day

Among social media use, 76% of Asian students and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students used social media several times a day in 2023.

Asian high school students were less likely to engage in sex

In 2023, 3 in 10 or 32% of high school students had ever had sex. Asian and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students were less likely than other racial or ethnic groups to have ever had sex at 14% and 18%, respectively.

Asian students were less likely to have drunk alcohol or used marijuana

Asian students were less likely than students from most other racial or ethnic groups to have drunk alcohol, used marijuana, or used certain illicit drugs. Certain illicit drugs are defined as cocaine, inhalants, heroin, methamphetamines, hallucinogens, or ecstasy. Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and Black students at 6% and 7%, respectively, were least likely to have used illicit drugs than other racial and ethnic groups.

Asian and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander students were less likely to be bullied

19% of high school students were bullied on school property during the past year. Asian and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander students were less likely to be bullied at school and were also less likely to be electronically bullied.

Over 3 in 10 Asian students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness

4 in 10 high school students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness and tragically almost 1 in 10 students attempted suicide. This was especially pronounced for students who identify as LGBTQ+. For Asian students, 3 in 10 Asian students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. For Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islanders students, while they were less likely than other racial and ethnic groups to have experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, they were more likely to have attempted suicide.

Useful Resources

Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2013–2023 (CDC)

Experiences of Racism in School and Associations with Mental Health, Suicide Risk, and Substance Use Among High School Students — Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2023 (CDC)