The RI High Schools with the Most Depressed Students
Stephen Beale, GoLocalProv News Contributor
The RI High Schools with the Most Depressed Students
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An estimated 1,129 considered killing themselves.
About half as many actually tried to go through with it.
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Such statistics—alarming to many observers—are revealed in a statewide survey known as SurveyWorks that was offered to public high school students last spring.
“You don’t need to overhype. It is sort of scary as it is,” said Tom Hoffman, a former technology director at the now-closed Feinstein High School who works as a technology consultant for largely non-U.S. schools and is an education policy blogger locally. “It indicates that a lot of our young people are unhappy straight up.”
Between 2008 and 2012, 19 teenagers in Rhode Island took their own lives, according to Kids Count data.
“We know that [there] is a growing problem of children with mental health disorders, not just in Rhode Island but in the rest of the nation,” said Elizabeth Burke Bryant, executive director of Rhode Island Kids Count, which annually collects reams of data on child health and well-being.
Those figures are consistent with national data, according to officials at the Rhode Island Department of Health, which uses the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System survey to make comparisons between students in the state and across the nation. In the state, 25.8 percent of students in 2013 said they had been depressed as compared with 29.9 percent nationally. Rhode Island students actually had suicidal thoughts at a rate lower than their peers nationally: a difference of 13.9 percent to 17 percent.
But Rhode Island students attempted suicide at least once at a higher rate than students nationwide, 14.3 percent to 8 percent, according to information provided Jeffrey Hill, an official at the Department of Health who runs the RI Youth Suicide Prevention Project, a partnership with RI Student Assistance Services, a private organization.
Depression and suicidal thoughts a statewide problem
In Rhode Island, it’s a problem that does not discriminate. A number of the state’s urban schools report significant numbers of depression and suicidal thoughts among their high school students, but so do many of the suburbs and more affluent communities.
At Barrington High School, 24 percent of students who participated in SurveyWorks said they had been depressed in the past 12 months. But so did 23.9 percent of students at Mount Pleasant High School. At Narragansett High School, 23.8 percent of respondents had experienced depression. (See below slides for a profile of each public high school in Rhode Island for which data was available.)
Gist spokesman Elliot Krieger said the state Department of Education has formed partnerships with a number of state agencies—including the Health Department, DCYF, and the state Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals—aimed at combating depression and suicide among public school students.
Krieger said the state has contracted with The Samaritans of Rhode Island to provide professional development for school staff on the issue. A second contractor, RI Student Assistance Services has trained an estimated 3,000 local educators in a program known as Question, Persuade, and Refer, according to Hill. The program is designed to help teachers and other school staff know what to look out for so that at risk-students can be referred to a counselor, he said.
“All school districts are expected to have a school physician and certified school nurse teacher; these staff members, along with school social workers, school psychologists, guidance counselors and the like, establish and foster relationships with providers to meet the needs of youth that go beyond the resources and authority of the school. Local districts develop and maintain those relationships, and all school districts are expected to have a school health program,” Krieger said.
Some of those in-school counselors are provided by the RI Youth Suicide Prevention Project. So far, they maintain a presence in 38 schools in Rhode Island, according to Hill.
Those efforts have the unintended consequence of making the problem seem like it’s on the rise when, in fact, it isn’t necessarily so. Instead, as stigma goes down, increasing numbers of students feel more comfortable admitting they have a problem, according to Hill and Bryant.
The difference school environment makes
A similar dynamic might explain why some schools, particularly some of the state’s charter schools, report higher-than-average rates of depression and suicidal thoughts among their students. Topping the list is the Beacon Charter High School for the Arts in Woonsocket, where 41.1 percent of students said they have experienced depression, and, of those who did, 27.9 said their depression was so severe that they contemplated suicide.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean that students at the school are more depressed than their peers elsewhere. Instead, it’s a reflection of a school environment where students are encouraged to be open about how they are feeling, according to Christina Go, the director of admissions and family engagement.
“They feel safe. They feel loved,” Go said. “Sometimes when you have that open environment, they feel more open to express how they’re feeling.”
School demographics can also affect survey responses. That too might be the case at Beacon Charter—but not necessarily in ways that one might expect. The school is located in Woonsocket, a community where the local high school also had a higher-than-average rate of depression, but Beacon Charter draws students from all over the state, Go said. Instead of broader socio-economic factors, she pointed to individual student characteristics.
“They’re artists and artists as a whole tend to be a little more emotional,” she said.
Hoffman cautioned against reading too much into why several charters like Beacon have slightly higher-than-average depression rates. Such schools might make more of an effort to ensure that more of their students complete the surveys, he said. Another possible explanation: some of the charters could be drawing students who have been unhappy in their current school environments, according to Hoffman. The depression rates could reflect their past experiences, he suggested.
Rather than indicating a specific pattern, he said the numbers tell a story of a problem that is statewide. “These numbers are just inherently worrisome,” he said.
Depression Among High School Students: How Does Your Community Compare?
#56 Block Island School
Location: New Shoreham
Number of Students: NA
Number of Student Respondents: 30
% Who Have Been Depressed: 16.7
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: NA
% Who Attempted Suicide: NA
#55 Cranston Construction Career Academy
Location: Cranston
Number of Students: 158
Number of Student Respondents: 124
% Who Have Been Depressed: 19.4
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 8.1
% Who Attempted Suicide: 0.0
#54 Sheila Skip Nowell Leadership Academy (II)
Location: Providence
Number of Students: 81
Number of Student Respondents: 15
% Who Have Been Depressed: 20.0
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: NA
% Who Attempted Suicide: NA
#53 Exeter/West Greenwich
Location: Exeter and West Greenwich
Number of Students: 540
Number of Student Respondents: 438
% Who Have Been Depressed: 20.1
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 9.1
% Who Attempted Suicide: 4.8
#52 North Smithfield High School
Location: North Smithfield
Number of Students: 519
Number of Student Respondents: 431
% Who Have Been Depressed: 21.8
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 7.9
% Who Attempted Suicide: 2.3
#51 South Kingstown High School
Location: South Kingstown
Number of Students: 1,073
Number of Student Respondents: 685
% Who Have Been Depressed: 22.3
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 10.8
% Who Attempted Suicide: 4.7
#50 Portsmouth High School
Location: Portsmouth
Number of Students: 960
Number of Student Respondents: 777
% Who Have Been Depressed: 22.4
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 10.6
% Who Attempted Suicide: 6.0
#49 Chariho Regional High School
Location: Charlestown
Number of Students: 1,201
Number of Student Respondents: 955
% Who Have Been Depressed: 23.7
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 10.2
% Who Attempted Suicide: 4.8
#48 Narragansett High School
Location: Narragansett
Number of Students: 429
Number of Student Respondents: 349
% Who Have Been Depressed: 23.8
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 11.2
% Who Attempted Suicide: 5.3
#47 Mount Pleasant High School
Location: Providence
Number of Students: 898
Number of Student Respondents: 656
% Who Have Been Depressed: 23.9
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 8.1
% Who Attempted Suicide: 4.5
#46 Barrington High School
Location: Barrington
Number of Students: 1,027
Number of Student Respondents: 843
% Who Have Been Depressed: 24.0
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 9.6
% Who Attempted Suicide: 3.2
#45 Scituate High School
Location: Scituate
Number of Students: 469
Number of Student Respondents: 399
% Who Have Been Depressed: 24.1
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 8.2
% Who Attempted Suicide: 4.1
#44 William B. Cooley Senior High School
Location: Providence
Number of Students: 617
Number of Student Respondents: 376
% Who Have Been Depressed: 24.2
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 6.9
% Who Attempted Suicide: 4.8
#43 Ponaganset High School
Location: Foster and Glocester
Number of Students: 684
Number of Student Respondents: 541
% Who Have Been Depressed: 24.4
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 11.2
% Who Attempted Suicide: 6.2
#42 East Greenwich High School
Location: East Greenwich
Number of Students: 729
Number of Student Respondents: 675
% Who Have Been Depressed: 24.6
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 9.7
% Who Attempted Suicide: 4.8
#41 Lincoln Senior High School
Location: Lincoln
Number of Students: 1,005
Number of Student Respondents: 771
% Who Have Been Depressed: 24.8
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 11.1
% Who Attempted Suicide: 5.1
#40 Smithfield Senior High School
Location: Smithfield
Number of Students: 755
Number of Student Respondents: 499
% Who Have Been Depressed: 24.8
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 12.2
% Who Attempted Suicide: 7.3
#39 North Kingstown Senior High School
Location: North Kingstown
Number of Students: 1,387
Number of Student Respondents: 979
% Who Have Been Depressed: 25.0
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 10.4
% Who Attempted Suicide: 5.2
#38 Coventry High School
Location: Coventry
Number of Students: 1,607
Number of Student Respondents: 1,254
% Who Have Been Depressed: 25.8
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 11.6
% Who Attempted Suicide: 5.1
#37 Paul Cuffee Charter School
Location: Providence
Number of Students: NA
Number of Student Respondents: 205
% Who Have Been Depressed: 25.9
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 13.2
% Who Attempted Suicide: 5.4
#36 West Warwick Senior High School
Location: West Warwick
Number of Students: 935
Number of Student Respondents: 628
% Who Have Been Depressed: 27.2
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 14.9
% Who Attempted Suicide: 7.1
#35 Westerly High School
Location: Westerly
Number of Students: 917
Number of Student Respondents: 662
% Who Have Been Depressed: 27.3
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 10.8
% Who Attempted Suicide: 5.6
#34 Providence Career and Technical Academy
Location: Providence
Number of Students: 577
Number of Student Respondents: 424
% Who Have Been Depressed: 27.4
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 5.5
% Who Attempted Suicide: 3.4
#33 Toll Gate High School
Location: Warwick
Number of Students: 958
Number of Student Respondents: 684
% Who Have Been Depressed: 27.5
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 11.5
% Who Attempted Suicide: 5.9
#32 Classical High School
Location: Providence
Number of Students: 1,119
Number of Student Respondents: 997
% Who Have Been Depressed: 27.7
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 8.8
% Who Attempted Suicide: 2.6
#31 Cumberland High School
Location: Cumberland
Number of Students: 1,337
Number of Student Respondents: 1,039
% Who Have Been Depressed: 27.8
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 12.0
% Who Attempted Suicide: 6.6
#30 E-Cubed Academy
Location: Providence
Number of Students: 349
Number of Student Respondents: 167
% Who Have Been Depressed: 28.1
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 12.5
% Who Attempted Suicide: 3.8
#29 Central Falls High School
Location: Central Falls
Number of Students: 727
Number of Student Respondents: 464
% Who Have Been Depressed: 28.4
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 11.9
% Who Attempted Suicide: 5.0
#28 Burrillville High School
Location: Burrillville
Number of Students: 682
Number of Student Respondents: 555
% Who Have Been Depressed: 28.8
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 11.6
% Who Attempted Suicide: 3.1
#27 Blackstone Charter Academy
Location: Pawtucket
Number of Students: 168
Number of Student Respondents: 146
% Who Have Been Depressed: 28.8
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 11.6
% Who Attempted Suicide: 4.1
#26 Cranston High School West
Location: Cranston
Number of Students: 1,526
Number of Student Respondents: 1,242
% Who Have Been Depressed: 29.2
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 13.6
% Who Attempted Suicide: 7.0
#25 Hope High School
Location: Providence
Number of Students: 894
Number of Student Respondents: 642
% Who Have Been Depressed: 29.4
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 11.3
% Who Attempted Suicide: 8.6
#24 Rogers High School
Location: Newport
Number of Students: 538
Number of Student Respondents: 390
% Who Have Been Depressed: 29.7
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 9.6
% Who Attempted Suicide: 4.5
#23 William E. Tolman Senior High School
Location: Pawtucket
Number of Students: 1,034
Number of Student Respondents: 563
% Who Have Been Depressed: 30.0
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 10.7
% Who Attempted Suicide: 4.9
#22 Shea Senior High School
Location: Pawtucket
Number of Students: 858
Number of Student Respondents: 593
% Who Have Been Depressed: 30.4
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 10.3
% Who Attempted Suicide: 7.0
#21 Tiverton High School
Location: Tiverton
Number of Students: 541
Number of Student Respondents: 437
% Who Have Been Depressed: 30.4
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 11.8
% Who Attempted Suicide: 5.7
#20 Central High School
Location: Providence
Number of Students: 1,112
Number of Student Respondents: 700
% Who Have Been Depressed: 30.6
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 10.6
% Who Attempted Suicide: 6.3
#19 Mt. Hope High School
Location: Bristol
Number of Students: 990
Number of Student Respondents: 745
% Who Have Been Depressed: 31.0
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 13.8
% Who Attempted Suicide: 5.9
#18 Dr. Jorge Alvarez High School
Location: Providence
Number of Students: 486
Number of Student Respondents: 327
% Who Have Been Depressed: 31.2
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 8.3
% Who Attempted Suicide: 4.9
#17 North Providence High School
Location: North Providence
Number of Students: 969
Number of Student Respondents: 769
% Who Have Been Depressed: 31.7
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 14.3
% Who Attempted Suicide: 5.2
#16 Cranston High School East
Location: Cranston
Number of Students: 1,583
Number of Student Respondents: 1,317
% Who Have Been Depressed: 32.8
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 14.1
% Who Attempted Suicide: 6.7
#15 Academy for Career Exploration
Location: Providence
Number of Students: 168
Number of Student Respondents: 97
% Who Have Been Depressed: 33.0
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 12.4
% Who Attempted Suicide: 1.0
#14 Middletown High School
Location: Middletown
Number of Students: 685
Number of Student Respondents: 514
% Who Have Been Depressed: 33.3
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 11.7
% Who Attempted Suicide: 6.0
#13 Johnston Senior High School
Location: Johnston
Number of Students: 893
Number of Student Respondents: 659
% Who Have Been Depressed: 33.5
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 16.4
% Who Attempted Suicide: 7.6
#12 Pilgrim High School
Location: Warwick
Number of Students: 991
Number of Student Respondents: 791
% Who Have Been Depressed: 33.5
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 16.1
% Who Attempted Suicide: 7.8
#11 East Providence High School
Location: East Providence
Number of Students: 1,502
Number of Student Respondents: 1,181
% Who Have Been Depressed: 33.8
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 14.6
% Who Attempted Suicide: 7.3
#10 Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center
Location: Providence
Number of Students: 838
Number of Student Respondents: 608
% Who Have Been Depressed: 34.4
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 15.4
% Who Attempted Suicide: 5.4
#9 William M. Davies Career & Technical Center
Location: Lincoln
Number of Students: 849
Number of Student Respondents: 702
% Who Have Been Depressed: 34.5
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 17.6
% Who Attempted Suicide: 7.0
#8 Warwick Veterans Memorial High School
Location: Warwick
Number of Students: 910
Number of Student Respondents: 629
% Who Have Been Depressed: 34.8
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 16.3
% Who Attempted Suicide: 7.8
#7 The Greene School
Location: Exeter
Number of Students: 162
Number of Student Respondents: 138
% Who Have Been Depressed: 35.5
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 16.7
% Who Attempted Suicide: 7.2
#6 J.M. Walsh School
Location: Pawtucket
Number of Students: 192
Number of Student Respondents: 172
% Who Have Been Depressed: 36.6
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 17.4
% Who Attempted Suicide: 6.4
#5 Times2 Academy
Location: Providence
Number of Students: NA
Number of Student Respondents: 35
% Who Have Been Depressed: 37.1
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 17.1
% Who Attempted Suicide: 5.7
#4 Woonsocket High School
Location: Woonsocket
Number of Students: 1,579
Number of Student Respondents: 1,026
% Who Have Been Depressed: 37.3
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 17.0
% Who Attempted Suicide: 9.3
#3 RI Nurses Institute
Location: Providence
Number of Students: 266
Number of Student Respondents: 193
% Who Have Been Depressed: 38.9
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 10.9
% Who Attempted Suicide: 5.2
#2 Sheila Skip Nowell Leadership Academy (I)
Location: Central Falls
Number of Students: 73
Number of Student Respondents: 25
% Who Have Been Depressed: 40.0
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 12.0
% Who Attempted Suicide: 12.0
#1 Beacon Charter High School for the Arts
Location: Woonsocket
Number of Students: 227
Number of Student Respondents: 209
% Who Have Been Depressed: 41.1
Of those Who Have Been Depressed
% Who Considered Suicide: 27.9
% Who Attempted Suicide: 12.2
