Environmental and social shifts may be driving global decline in youth mind health: study

Young adults across the world are experiencing lower levels of mind health compared to older generations within their own countries, according to findings from the Global Mind Health in 2025 report, released last month. ..

The report is part of the Global Mind Project led by neuroscientist Tara Thiagarajan, founder and chief scientist of Sapien Labs, non-profit organisation based in the Washington D.C. area, U.S., that aims to understand and enable the human mind. The study has collected responses from nearly three million participants across 84 countries.

Across regions, income levels

Dr. Thiagarajan said the decline in mind health is visible across regions and income levels, suggesting it reflects broader changes in the environment than a country-specific phenomenon.

For instance, younger adults in both high-income countries and lower-income regions consistently report poorer mind health scores compared with older adults within their own societies. Young adults report relatively higher mind health scores in countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania, while the lowest scores are seen in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, even though older adults in these same countries score close to the expected level of around 100.

“Younger generations are doing worse relative to older adults in their own countries,” she said. “This is not an India problem or a Europe problem. It is a modern world problem.”

Defining mind health

The project defines mind health not simply as happiness, but as the capacity to navigate life’s challenges and function productively. This includes emotional regulation, focus, adaptability, resilience, and the ability to form and maintain relationships.

Across multiple countries, younger adults consistently score lower on these capacities compared to older adults. Data tracked over time suggest that the gap existed even before the COVID-19 pandemic, although the pandemic further worsened outcomes for younger groups.

Older adults, in contrast, showed greater resilience during the pandemic, with comparatively smaller changes in mind health scores.

Environmental drivers

The study has explored several environmental factors that may be contributing to the trend. Dr. Thiagarajan categorises these influences into two groups: chemical exposures and techno-cultural changes.

On the chemical side, she pointed to the increasing presence of additives and highly processed ingredients in food systems over the past two decades. Ultra-processed foods now contain a larger number of colourings, preservatives, flavourings and emulsifiers compared to earlier formulations.

Some compounds are known to affect nervous system signalling, while others may accumulate gradually in the body. Researchers are also examining the potential effects of pesticides, heavy metals, plastics and other environmental exposures.

“The nervous system’s capacity for control and regulation may be affected over time by this cumulative load,” she said.

Digital environments and social learning

The study also highlights the role early and prolonged exposure to smartphones and digital media may play on mental health outcomes.

Children today often receive smartphones early in life, and the data show that those with longer exposure during childhood tend to report poorer adult outcomes across several indicators, including emotional control, feelings of detachment from reality, and aggression.

Researchers note that digital environments may also replace activities that previously supported social development. Informal play, outdoor sports and face-to-face interaction historically provided opportunities for children to learn conflict resolution, interpret body language and navigate group dynamics.

Reduced in-person interaction may affect what neuroscientists call social cognition — the brain’s ability to understand and respond to other people. The report also points to declining protective social structures. Emotional closeness to family and participation in community life have historically been associated with better mind health outcomes.

Previous analyses from the Global Mind Project in India suggested that emotional closeness to family may be a stronger predictor of mind health than income alone.

In some contexts, researchers have observed generational declines in perceived family closeness. Dr. Thiagarajan noted that cultural transitions and linguistic differences within families for example between first-generation English-speaking youth and their parents may sometimes contribute to widening gaps in communication and expectations.

Environmental and social interventions

While the report focuses primarily on identifying trends, researchers say changes in everyday environments may help improve mind health outcomes.

Schools, for instance, can influence physical activity, smartphone use and opportunities for social interaction. Dr. Thiagarajan cited an example of a boarding school in Tamil Nadu that introduced restrictions on smartphones while expanding sports and social activities.

Within six months, the proportion of students classified as struggling declined by about one-third, while the number considered to be thriving increased by roughly 60%, she said.

Other factors linked to improved mind health include physical exercise, exposure to natural environments and reduced reliance on plastic food containers, though further research is ongoing.

The study emphasise that the decline in youth mind health should not be interpreted as a generational failing. Instead, it reflects complex interactions between technological change, environmental exposures and evolving social structures.

Addressing the issue may therefore require greater attention to these upstream environmental and social conditions rather than relying solely on individual-level interventions. If the broader environments shaping children’s and adolescents’ development including food systems, digital exposure and social structures remain unchanged, responses focused only on therapy or counselling may have limited impact.

As youth make up a larger share of the workforce and civic life in the coming decades, understanding and addressing these trends may also carry wider social and economic implications, Dr. Thiagarajan added.

“If capacities such as emotional regulation, cooperation and focus decline across generations,” she said, “it raises questions about how societies will sustain the systems they rely on.”

Published – March 14, 2026 05:49 pm IST