APRIL 2019

Bringing you snippets of global youth trends and issues compiled from
diverse sources such as news reports, journals and press releases. Y+ is an
e-newsletter that aims to help you stay in touch with the constantly
evolving youth scene.
Brought to you by the Research team at NYC!

Youths & Mental Health

IN THIS ISSUE OF Y+
Mental health is an integral and essential component of health. It relates to how youths think, feel
and act as they cope with their lives. The rise in the rates of mental health issues among youths is a
matter of concern. Studies suggest that youths struggle with depression, anxiety and other mental
health disorders like self-harm. Addressing psychological well-being among youths is critical to
helping them to thrive through adolescence and into adulthood. 

Locally, findings from the latest Singapore Mental Health Study found that 1 in 7 people in
Singapore have experienced a mental disorder, with a higher prevalence found among those
aged between 18-34 (SMHS 2016, IMH). There is a need to understand what are the contributing
factors, while working to directly address to improve mental health among youths.

DID YOU KNOW?

Mental Health Mental health problems starts at an early age.

A state of well-being in which 3/4

every individual realises his or her of all mental
own potential, can cope with
normal stresses of life, can work
1/2 health
problems are
of all mental
productively and fruitfully, and is health established by
able to make a contribution to his
or her own community.  1
1/10
children aged
problems are
established by
the age of 24

5-16 have a the age of 14

diagnosable
condition
Health conditions
involving changes in
emotions, thinking or
behaviour, commonly
associated with distress
and/or problems
functioning in social, work
or family activities.  
2

Mental Illness
1
World Health Organisation, 2014 BBC News, 4 December 2018
2
American Psychiatric Association

MENTAL HEALTH IS A GROWING CONCERN

Between 2016 and 2018, the rate of They also cited the following as their
Australian youths (aged 15-19) who top 3 personal concerns:
indicated mental health as an important
issue has more than doubled! Male Female

43.0%
56.0%

41.8% 41.5%
2018

26.2%
23.3%
15.4%

20.6% Coping with

stress
School or
study
Body image
2016
problems
Youth Survey Report 2018, Mission Australia.

Meanwhile, seven-in-ten teens (aged 13-17) in America felt that mental health is a significant issue
in their community, and see the following as major problems: 
Anxiety and depression 70%

Bullying 55%

Drug addiction 51%

Drinking alcohol 45%

Poverty 40%

Teen pregnancy 34%

Gangs 33%
Pew Research Center, February 2019.

EMOTIONAL DISORDER AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE ON THE RISE

Emotional disorder (e.g. anxiety disorder, depressive disorders,
mania and bipolar effective disorder) is a growing problem.

of Gen Z(aged 18 to 21) is 17% of young people aged 17 to 19

27% significantly more likely to report years old in England had a mental
that their mental health is poor. disorder.

9 in 10 Gen Zs have experienced

one of the following symptoms due
to stress: 14.9% 13.1% 4.8%
diagnosed identified with identified with

68% la g aw at ni t emotional
disorder
anxiety 
disorder
depression

58% e t to mu
58% fe g de s or sa
55% en y
la of in s , mo ti or

54% fe g ne s or an u 23.9% 10.3%

However, they are less afraid to seek help for Girls were more than twice as likely as
these issues. boys to have a disorder
Stress in America - Generation Z, October 2018, Mental Health of Children and Young People in England,
American Psychological Association November 2018, NHS Digital

WHAT ARE YOUNG PEOPLE STRESSED ABOUT? 

Common stressors for Gen Z include: 

MONEY 81%

Work 77%

Health-related concerns 75%

Economy 46%

Stress in America - Generation Z, October 2018, American Psychological Association

BEWARE. EXCESSIVE USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY MAY HARM

YOUTH's MENTAL HEALTH!
Moderate use of digital technology has benefits for mental wellbeing. However, too much use of
it can have negative impact on youths' mental health. Some of the negative effects associated
with excessive online use and poor mental health include the following:

Body Image Concerns

1 Poor Sleep
2 Cyber-Bullying
3 and Disordered Eating

Children & Young People;'s Mental Health in the Digital Age, Shaping the Future, OECD 2018

STRENGTHENING POSITIVE MENTAL WELLBEING

Mental health literacy is the basis for mental health promotion, prevention and best available care.
How do you then maintain good mental health? Here are some tips from Dr Stan Kutcher and Dr
Yifeng of Dalhousie University and the IWK Health Centre.

02
01 POINT
#2
POINT
#1 03
POINT
Click here to start
Understand mental
#3
using the guide.
health issues Help yourself and others Reduce mental
get support as well as health stigma
early treatment
Mental Health & High School Curriculum Guide, Understanding Mental Health and Mental Illness,(Version 3), teenmentalhealth.org 

Further 1. How to...provide youth-friendly mental health and well being services
Reading 2. Mental Health at Work 2018 Report: Seizing the Momentum

References
American Psychiatric Association 2018. What is Mental Illness?
* https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/what-is-mental-illness
American Psychological Association (2018). Stress in America: Generation Z. Stress in America Survey. 
* https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2018/stress-gen-z.pdf
David Brown and Nick Triggle, BBC News, 4 December 2018. Mental health: 10 charts on the scale of the problem.
* https://www.bbc.com/news/health-41125009
* Mission Australia. Youth Survey Report 2018.
https://www.missionaustralia.com.au/publications/youth-survey/823-mission-australia-youth-survey-report-2018
* NHS Digital.  Mental Health of Children and Young People in England, 2017, Summary of Key Findings. 
https://files.digital.nhs.uk/9B/6F123E/MHCYP%202017%20Summary.pdf
* OECD 2018. Children and Young People's Mental Health in the Digital Age: Shaping the Future.  
http://www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/Children-and- Young-People-Mental-Health-in-the-Digital-Age.pdf
* Pew Research Centre, February 2019. 'Most U.S Teens See Anxiety and Depression as a Major Problem Among Their Peers'.
https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2019/02/20/most-u-s-teens-see-anxiety-and-depression-as-a-major-problem-among-their-peers/
* Teenmentalhealth.org.  Mental Health & High School Curriculum Guide, Understanding Mental Health and Mental Illness (Version 3). 
http://teenmentalhealth.org/schoolmhl/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/mental-health-101.pdf
* World Health Organisation 2014.  Mental Health: A State of Well-being. 
https://www.who.int/features/factfiles/mental_health/en/

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