Studies have shown time and again that the world is facing a mental health crisis among members of Generation Z (people born between 1995 and 2009). In many countries, the mental health of young adults and adolescents has steadily declined over the past two decades. In Germany, studies have reported a similar development, particularly since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. This worrying trend highlights the urgent need for more scientific attention to better understand its drivers and causes.
Emily Sitarski from Ulm University Hospital has taken a closer look at mental health indicators within the SOSEC data set. She presented her findings at the 21st International Congress of the European Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Her presentation was part of a symposium addressing the issue of “Youth Mental Health Crisis – Public Child Mental Health in Times of Multiple Crises, Global Megatrends, and Challenging Developments: The Need for Preparedness, Prevention, and Rapid Response.”
Emily Sitarski’s findings are concerning: members of Generation Z consistently report significantly higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms compared to other generations. In this regard, the SOSEC data is consistent with existing research. These findings further underscore “the urgent need to act on multiple levels to avoid a critical tipping point in the mental health of children, adolescents, and young adults.”
Studies like this demonstrate the immense potential of interdisciplinary research in projects such as SOSEC. With its unique data set, SOSEC opens up new pathways for researchers across diverse academic fields. Likewise, the SOSEC team and its partners greatly benefit from the valuable perspectives brought to the project by the involvement of researchers and institutions from different disciplines.