Passing exams, going to school, and feeling pressure to look and act a certain way are some of the things teenagers are worried about, according to the Teen 24 survey jointly commissioned by BBC Bitesize and 5 Live this year. We're here to offer some helpful tips and advice.
A poll of over 2000 13-18 year-olds gave Bitesize an even better understanding of the things on the teen mind.
Here are 5 headline results:
1. Some of the things teens are anxious about
Forty-seven per cent of the teens surveyed said they felt anxious some of the time. Passing exams, getting good grades and feeling pressure to look or act a certain way were some of the things they felt anxious about.
2. How much time are teens spending on their phones?
Twenty per cent of those surveyed said they spend 3-4 hours a day on their phone, with 10% spending 5-6 hours.
3. How many teens have messaged someone online they don't know?
Thirty-seven per cent said they have messaged someone online they don't know, up 6% on last year's survey.
4. Vaping, knife crime and feeling safe
Thirty-four per cent of the teens surveyed said they have vaped at least once, while 46% are worried about knife crime in their local area. Thirty-three per cent said they do not feel safe walking on the street when they're on their own.
5. How do teens feel about the future?
Seventy-five per cent of the respondents said they feel positive about the future.
How often do teenagers feel anxious?
Nearly half of the teens surveyed said they feel anxious some of the time, with 4% saying they never feel anxious.
| Frequency | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Some of the time | 47% |
| Rarely | 24% |
| Most of the time | 18% |
| All of the time | 7% |
| Never | 4% |
What do teenagers feel anxious about?
The teens who reported they feel anxious all, most, or some of the time were asked to select up to three items from the below list to show some of the things they feel most anxious about. Passing exams, getting good grades and feeling pressure to be liked were the most-selected options. Those topics will form part of a Teen Summit discussion on 5 Live's Nicky Campbell show on Wednesday 12th June between 9-11am as part of Teen 24.
| Issue | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Passing exams/ getting good grades | 56% |
| How much people like me or are interested in me | 34% |
| Feeling pressure to look or act a certain way | 34% |
| Going to school | 26% |
| Peer pressure | 21% |
| Living up to my parents' expectations | 20% |
| Being bullied | 17% |
| Having the latest products or brands | 13% |
| Keeping up with social media | 11% |
| Don't know | 3% |
| Other | 2% |
What to do if you’re feeling anxious
If you're feeling anxious, you’re not alone and there is help and support available for you. It’s always important to talk to someone about the things you’re worried about, so make sure you reach out to a trusted adult.
There’s also plenty of help and advice on dealing with anxiety and other issues that affect your wellbeing in Bitesize Study Support’s Wellbeing collection, where you’ll find articles like Four questions on anxiety answered and Understanding feelings of anxiety and low mood.
In our World of wellbeing series, you can hear Ami Charlize chat about the things she worries about, with helpful advice from Radio 1’s Dr Radha.
Worried about getting good grades?
Fifty-six per cent of the teens surveyed about the reasons for their anxiety said they felt anxious about passing exams and getting good grades. Well, exams are important… and there’s plenty of support on Bitesize Study Support to help you understand how you can study smarter and loads of tips on exams and revision to help you out when it comes time for all that. And of course, we've got hundreds of BBC Bitesize revision guides to help you out too.
But while exams are important, they’re also not everything and you’re so much more than just the grades you achieve. Check out our results day collection, where you can find help and advice on what to do if you don’t get the grades you need.
Of the teens surveyed who attend school or college, 71% said they enjoy it. But twenty-six per cent of the teens surveyed about anxiety said that school is one of the things that makes them feel anxious. It’s important to reach out to a trusted adult for support if your worries about school, exams or revision are getting on top of you. You can also find some tips and advice in our School Essentials series, where you can hear about dealing with bullying and peer pressure and find advice on how to make friends and manage difficult relationships in secondary school.
How confident do you feel in yourself?
Thirty-four per cent of the teens surveyed about anxiety said they felt anxious about how much people like them or are interested in them. And 34% said they felt anxious about feeling pressure to look or act a certain way. The teen years can be tricky as you learn and grow. Your brain is still developing, along with your sense of identity. In Bitesize Study Support’s Wellbeing collection, you can find some Tips for how to boost your confidence and in World of Wellbeing, Dr Radha and Ami Charlize tackle self-esteem and confidence.
How many hours a day do you spend on your phone?
According to the survey, 16% of the 13-18s polled said they spend 4-5 hours a day on their phone, while 21% spend 2-3 hours. Fifty per cent of the teens surveyed said they feel anxious if they don’t have their phone with them.
Are you, like the 51% of the teens surveyed, concerned about misinformation and fake news on social media platforms? Head to Other side of the story to learn more about fake news, clickbait, AI-generated imagery and more, and see our My Teenage Brain collection to hear India Sasha talk about her experiences of social media and scrolling, along with advice from a psychologist about managing your time online.
There are so many other ways to spend your time and some of these are great for your wellbeing too. Find out what Ami Charlize and Dr Radha have to say about being active and resting well and how self-care can help your wellbeing.
The future
Seventy-five per cent of the teens surveyed said they feel positive about their future. Did you know that BBC Bitesize isn’t just here to get you through your exams and revision, but that we’ve also got loads of advice for your next steps with our huge collection of videos on careers and advice about college, Uni and apprenticeships? Head to Bitesize Careers to find out where your favourite subject could take you.
About the survey
Teen 24 is a survey conducted in the spring of 2024 by BBC Bitesize and BBC Radio 5 Live, where over 2000 teenagers aged 13-18 answered questions about the issues important to them. The results of the survey have helped us to get to know you and the issues that affect you, from your feelings about the future to your feelings about yourself.
This survey was conducted by Survation interviewing 2042 teenagers aged 13-18 years old online between 16th and 29th May 2024.
If you need support
You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.
If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact Childline, where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There are more links to helpful organisations on the BBC Bitesize Action Line page for young people.
