The OECD publishes research into youth mental health across OECD countries.
The OECD says that there is no ‘single factor’ that explains this but rather ‘young people are navigating multiple, intersecting pressures that accumulate across different domains of their lives.’ Some of these pressures include climate change, poverty, school pressures, bullying, inequality and digitalisation.
In digitalisation, some areas specifically mentioned include negative impacts of social media, late-night device use, online bullying and increasing exposure to harmful content.
Socio-economic disadvantage was a focus, highlighting issues such as exposure to risk factors, availability of supportive resources, financial hardship, unsuitable housing, lack of social mobility and academic pressure.
Key findings
- Rising rates of depression, anxiety, poor mental health and psychological distress.
- Of the countries surveyed, only Japan and Korea saw small improvements in mental health status.
- Self-harm rates have increased, especially among girls.
- Girls and older adolescents report poorer mental health than boys.
- It’s suggested that mental health conditions peak in adolescence and early adulthood – and particularly anxiety disorders.
- New mental health conditions specifically related to online risks have been recognised, such as ‘gaming disorder‘ .
The OECD is calling for a broader approach to tackle mental health where mental health services, education settings, families, those in digital policy and community support come together to tackle the complex issue.
It recommends that low-threshold, holistic mental health services with a peer component should be a policy priority; that evaluations of digital regulation policies include mental health and broader wellbeing outcomes, as well as ways to mitigate potential ‘unintended consequences’; and improved data collection to help understand and address youth mental health trends. Notably, the report mentions that only a third of OECD countries have ‘nationally representative time-series data on young people’s mental health’ which impacts on how easily changes and trends can be measured and how effectively policies can be made.
References
- Asia University Rankings 2026: results announced. Available at: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/asia-university-rankings-2026-results-announced (Accessed 29 April 2026)
