There are many benefits to teaching psychology in high school—so many that I daresay it should be a required subject.

As the Office of Adolescent Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports, mental health statistics related to teen anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation continue to worsen. Studying psychology could help promote many of the social and emotional learning (SEL) skills that are crucial to students’ academic achievement and mental health.

We can help students apply the research they study in the class to their own lives to develop a more complex, metacognitive approach to processing their own identity, development, relationships, and decisions.

Psychology is a complex area of study, so it’s imperative to highlight the evolving nature of human development research, to present multiple viewpoints, and to acknowledge moral and ethical gray areas. If students feel that you’re not imposing a viewpoint on them, they engage wholeheartedly in debates and gain valuable critical thinking skills.

It seems to me that this field of study is as important as math, science, English, and social studies.

The study of psychology can help our students become collaborative, empathetic citizens. Students want to understand themselves and others, and we, as educators, have an opportunity to help them gain self-awareness and insight, learn social and emotional skills like collaboration and communication, and master academic skills such as scientific research. We can help them develop flexible, creative ways of thinking based on multiple perspectives.