Child, Adolescent and Youth Mental Health in the 21st Century

It documents rising psychological distress, depressive symptoms, and hospitalisations for self-harm (especially among adolescent girls and young women), and explores how intersecting emerging and longstanding pressures, such as social media pressure, climate anxiety, economic insecurity, and academic stress, cumulatively affect youth. It concludes that, to improve youth mental health, a multisectoral approach is essential, including not only clinical services, but also supportive environments in families, schools, communities, and the health system. Better and more consistent data are needed to monitor the youth mental health crisis and to assess the impacts of emerging policies aimed at shaping children’s and adolescents’ online behaviour.