Young people more likely to admit mental struggles
A new study examines whether the rise in reported mental health struggles among young people reflects a genuine decline in wellbeing or a cultural shift toward greater openness. Researchers analyzed over two decades of Australian survey data to compare self-reported mental health against established risk factors.
Why it matters
Understanding the drivers of mental health trends is critical for developing effective public health policies and educational support systems for youth.
Ask any parent, teacher or GP and they will tell you young people seem to be doing worse, mentally, than they used to.
The share of Australians aged 16–24 reporting a mental health problem in the past year jumped from about 25 percent in 2007 to almost 40 percent by 2020–22.
In the United Kingdom, the proportion of people aged 17–19 with a “probable mental disorder” rose from one in ten in 2017 to almost one in six in three years.
Similar trends emerge in Canada, the United States and many other countries with surveys that track mental health.
But are young people really doing worse? Or are they simply more willing to admit they’re struggling?
Our new study, which has been peer reviewed and accepted for publication in the Journal of Population Economics, provides some answers.
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