Did anyone ask them why they were feeling this way?
No.
> The survey did not ask students about reasons for their feelings of sadness or thoughts of harming themselves.
No.
> The survey did not ask students about reasons for their feelings of sadness or thoughts of harming themselves.
Persistent sadness and hopelessness is not the kind of thing that you'll get a useful answer for when you directly ask why they feel that way.
That said, the article mentions several factors that are contributing to the increase in sadness and violence among teenage girls in the United States. Some of the root causes mentioned in the article include traumatic experiences, including sexual violence; interpersonal stress from school, peers and home; a rise in violent behavior, particularly targeting girls; and stigma and violence toward LGBTQ+ teenagers
https://health.usnews.com/health-care/patient-advice/article...
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/girls-women-and-well...