A government survey shows small signs of improvement in the mental health of U.S. teenagers. But the share of students — particularly girls — who are feeling sad and hopeless remains high.

There are small signs of improvement in the mental health of U.S. teenagers, a government survey released Tuesday said, but the share of students — particularly girls — feeling sad and hopeless remained high.

From 2021 to 2023, the portion of high school students who reported feelings of persistent sadness or hopelessness declined from 42% to 40%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. More than 20,000 students were surveyed at school in the spring of 2023.

Among girls, the percentage reporting persistent sadness or hopelessness fell from 57% to 53%. The share of girls reporting they had seriously considered attempting suicide edged downward from 30% to 27%.