Teens with someone to talk to report far less depression, Tulane study finds

Teenagers who have at least one person they can talk to about serious problems are far less likely to report depression and suicidal thoughts, and the link is strongest for young people from sexual minorities, according to a study by researchers at Tulane University in the United States published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics on Monday, 12 October 2026. The team analysed responses from a national survey of adolescents aged 12 to 17. Among gay and lesbian teenagers, about 61 per cent of those with no trusted person reported depression in the past year, compared with 35 per cent of those who had someone to turn to. The study also found that sexual minority teens were less likely than their heterosexual peers to name a parent as that person.

Most parents want their children to come to them when something is wrong. This study puts numbers on why that matters. The gap in depression and suicidal thoughts between teenagers who have a trusted person and those who do not is large, and it is largest for young people who may already feel different from those around them. For them, the absence of anyone to confide in appears to go hand in hand with much higher distress.

The finding that fewer sexual minority teens would turn to a parent is the part most relevant to families. It suggests that, for some young people, home does not feel like a safe place to talk about who they are or what they are going through. That does not have to be the result of open hostility; silence, jokes or visible discomfort can be enough to make a child decide not to raise a subject. Where parents are not the first choice, a grandparent, aunt or uncle, teacher, counsellor or older cousin can fill the role, and the study suggests that any one trusted person makes a difference.

Indian families often pride themselves on closeness, and joint and extended families can offer a wide circle of adults a child might confide in. But closeness is not the same as openness. In many homes, subjects such as mental health, relationships and sexuality are still rarely discussed openly. The study is American, and its figures cannot be applied directly to Indian teenagers, but its central message travels: a child who has someone to talk to is better protected than one who does not.

Short-term: The study is likely to be cited by schools, paediatricians and youth groups encouraging adults to make themselves available to teenagers and to ask directly how they are doing.

Long-term: If families and schools act on it, more teenagers could have at least one dependable adult to turn to, which the researchers link to lower rates of depression and suicidal thinking.

Who is affected: Teenagers, especially those who feel they cannot talk at home; parents and grandparents; teachers and school counsellors; and health workers who support young people.

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