Mental, Behavioral, Developmental Disorder Prevalence Among Children Increased From 25.3% To 27.7%

From 2016 through 2021, the prevalence of childhood mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders (MBDD) among U.S. children aged 3 to 17 years increased from 25.3% to 27.7%. These increases were specific to anxiety, depression, learning disability, developmental delay, and speech or language disorders.

Significant increases in MBDD for these individuals were seen in some demographic subgroups. These include females (with an average annual percentage change [AAPC] of 3.3), adolescents aged 12 to 17 years (AAPC = 2.7), non-Hispanic White children (AAPC = 2.3), children living in households with annual incomes of 100% or less of . . .