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10 Social Issues and Problems That Trouble Today's Teens

Technology and social media can amplify the struggles teens face, but they aren't the only issues they encounter.

Social Media

Peer pressure, on-screen violence, sexual activity, alcohol use, academic problems, how to talk to your teen.

Just like adults, teens nowadays often face social problems. They may also be more susceptible to challenges because their brains are still developing and their bodies are changing quickly. Combine that with advances in technology, and today's teens are facing new and different social issues than their parents may have.

Not only has electronic media amplified some teenage troubles, but digital communication and social media have also changed the way teens interact with their peers and romantic interests. The end result is a group of young people who struggle with essential interpersonal communication skills like picking up on social cues.

Some of this dysfunction can be linked to technology—especially since the average teen spends more than eight hours each day using electronic devices.  That said, not all teen social issues are linked to the digital world. Teens also are at a higher risk for overdose, might not practice safe sex, and are facing increasing academic pressures.

Here's a closer look at the top 10 social issues teens nowadays struggle with.

Brianna Gilmartin 

Instagram, Twitter, and SnapChat  can be great ways for teens to connect, but social media can be problematic for several reasons. It can expose your teen to cyberbullying, slut-shaming, and so much more.  

Social media can hurt friendships, and it's changing the way teens date. Research shows it can impact their mental health.  And no matter what precautions you take, teens are likely to be exposed to unsavory people, unhealthy images, and sexual content online.

Help your teen learn to navigate social media in a healthy way by following these tips:

• Talk about ways to stay safe online.
• Ask what your teen is doing on social media.
• Educate yourself about the latest apps, websites, and social media pages teens are using.
• Consider  limiting your teen's screen time .

While peer pressure has affected teens for generations, social media brings it to a whole new level. Sexting, for example, is a major cause for concern. Many teens don't understand the lifelong consequences that sharing explicit photos can have. 

But sending inappropriate photos isn't the only thing kids are coerced into doing. Teens face pressure to have sex, use drugs or alcohol, and even bully others.  

To keep your kids from falling victim to peer pressure, consider these tips:

• Give them skills to make healthy choices and resist peer pressure.
• Talk to teens about what to do if they make a mistake.
• Let them know it's safe to come to you when they have problems or make poor choices.
• Demonstrate that you can listen without judging or overreacting.
• Help them find healthy ways to make amends and move on if they peer pressure others.

Teenagers are going to witness some violent media at one time or another. And it's not just TV, music, and movies that depict violence. Many of today's video games portray gory scenes and disturbing acts of aggression. Over the past couple of decades, studies have linked these violent images to a lack of empathy and aggressive behavior .

Other studies have shown the top factor in determining the way kids relate to media is how their parents think and act.  That means the more violence parents watch, the more likely their kids will think it's OK.  

To help limit exposure to on-screen violence, pay attention to your teen's media use and consider implementing these guidelines:

• Restrict or limit your teen from watching R-rated movies or playing M-rated video games. Consuming that material excessively (and unsupervised) is not healthy. 
• Talk about the dangers of being exposed to violent images and monitor your teen's mental state.
• Discuss sexual situations and racial stereotypes that your teen might see.
• Help them identify what's good and what's bad about the media.
• Boost their media literacy by helping them think objectively about what they're seeing on television, TikTok, in the movie theater, or in a video game.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), an estimated 5 million adolescents in the U.S. have had at least one major depressive episode . That means 20% of American teenagers may experience depression before reaching adulthood. Data from NIMH also shows that depression is much more prevalent in female teens (29.2%) than male teens (11.5%) and among teens who reported two or more races (27.2%).

Spending too much time on electronic devices may be preventing young people from in-person activities with their peers, such as sports or other physical activities, that can help ward off depression.  They're also experiencing new conditions like "fear of missing out" or FOMO, which further leads to feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Keep in mind that depressive disorders are treatable, but it's important to seek professional help. Here's how to navigate this situation:

• Schedule an appointment to a health care provider or contact a mental health professional if your teen seems withdrawn, experiences a change in sleep patterns, or starts to perform poorly in school.
• Consider online therapy as an option if your teen is reluctant to meet with a therapist in person.
• Be willing to discuss what they're thinking or feeling, including their thoughts of suicide. Having these conversations can reduce their fears and let them know someone is willing to listen, but it also needs to be handled thoughtfully.
• Call the  National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  at  988  or  911 if they are in immediate danger.

Nearly one in four teens between the ages of 12 and 18 report being bullied each year.  Research suggests that social media has made bullying much more public and more pervasive. In fact, cyberbullying has replaced in-person bullying as the most common type of harassment that teens experience.

To help guard against these kinds of teenage troubles, regularly talk to your teen about bullying and consider utilizing these tips to help:

• Discuss what they can do when they witness bullying.
• Talk about options if they become a target themselves.
• Recognize that being proactive is key to helping your child deal with a bully.
• Talk to your child about when and how to get help from a trusted adult.
• Acknowledge that talking about how someone has humiliated them is never an easy topic.
• Remind them that asking for help isn't a sign of weakness; it's a show of courage.

According to the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) survey, 30% of high school students reported having had sex and 21% said they were currently sexually active . That represents a decline over the past decade (47% had had sex in 2011; 34% were currently sexually active).

This decline in sexual activity doesn't necessarily mean teens nowadays are using contraceptives, though. Just over half of sexually active teens reported using a condom in their last sexual encounter, according to YRBSS data, while about one-third used hormonal birth control and 10% used both.

This may explain why more than half of the 26 million new sexually transmitted infections in the U.S. are among young people between the ages of 15 and 24. Here are some things you can do to ensure that your teen understands the risks of teen sex and how to be safe:

• Talk to your teen about sex and allow them to ask questions.
• Let them know they can come to you about anything and that no questions are off-limits.
• Do your best to not shame them or make them feel embarrassed by their inquiries.
• Instill the importance of safe sex practices—even if you don't think your child is engaging in sexual activity.
• Discuss contraception options and make sure they have access to contraception if they're sexually active.
• Give them resources to learn about safe sex.

The percentage of teens nowadays using illicit substances is roughly 10.9% of eighth graders, 19.8% of 10th graders, and 31.2% of 12th graders, according to most recent data from the Monitoring the Future Survey published by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. While this decline has been noted since the survey began in 1975, there has been a dramatic rise in overdoses among teens.

Illicit fentanyl, a powerful synthetic drug, is largely responsible for these overdoses. Drug dealers are adding it to counterfeit pills made to resemble prescription medications, which means that although teen drug use is declining, it's becoming more risky for those who do partake.

It's important to have regular conversations with your teen about the dangers of drugs. Here are some key topics you need to discuss:

• Mention the dangers of over-the-counter drugs and prescription medications. Many teens don't recognize the risks associated with taking a friend's prescription or popping a few pills.
• Tell your teen that drug use during adolescence increases their risk for developing a substance use disorder later in life.
• Address how easily addictions can happen.
• Discuss how drug and alcohol use can affect their brain development.
• Talk about the risks associated with overdosing.
• Explain the danger of illicit fentanyl contaminating counterfeit drugs.
• Recognize talks about drug use are not one-and-done conversations, but something you should be discussing on a consistent basis.

Alcohol use and binge drinking continue to decline among teenagers. Still, 15.1% of eighth graders, 30.6% of 10th graders, and 45.7% of seniors say they used alcohol in the past year. The forms of alcohol teens are using have also changed. More kids are choosing flavored alcohol (also called "alcopops") and alcohol with caffeine in it. About 36% of seniors reported drinking flavored alcohol.

It's important to talk to your teen about the risks of underage drinking. Here are some tips on how to navigate those conversations.

• Educate them about the dangers of alcohol use, including the fact that alcohol can take a serious toll on their developing brain.  
• Express your disapproval of underage drinking. Saying you don't approve can make a big difference in whether your teen decides to drink.
• Discuss the dangers of drinking and driving.
• Let them know that if they do decide to drink, they should call you or another trusted adult for a ride rather than risk getting behind the wheel.
• Assure your teen that it's safe to reach out to you if they make a mistake and need help.

About 22% of 12- to 19-year-olds in the U.S. are obese, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data. Hispanic and Black children are more likely to be overweight or obese than White or Asian children.

Children and teens who are overweight or obese are often targeted by bullies and are at a much greater risk of lifelong health problems such as diabetes , arthritis, cancer, and heart disease.  They may also struggle with body image issues or develop eating disorders as a way of changing their appearance.

But surveys show parents may not recognize when their kids are overweight.  They tend to underestimate their child's size and the risks associated with being overweight. Here are some ways you can help:

• Ask their health care provider privately about their weight in comparison to their height and age—though many health care providers will alert you to an issue without asking.
• Find ways to support and empower your teen , especially if their doctor recommends a different eating plan or exercise.
• Ensure your teen has the necessary tools to make changes, but recognize that they must want to change. You can't force the issue, nor should you try to control them,
• Avoid shaming or embarrassing your teen about their weight, but instead communicate acceptance for who they are as a person. They need to know their worth is not tied to their weight.

About 5% of high school students drop out of high school each year in the United States, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.  A high school dropout is likely to earn significantly less over their lifetime when compared to a high school graduate, which can have a significant impact on a young person's future.

But it's no longer just "troubled teens" who are dropping out of school. Some teens feel so much pressure to get into a good college that they're burning themselves out before they graduate from high school.

Here are some ways you can help your teen avoid academic problems:

• Stay involved in your teen's education.
• Provide support and guidance when needed.
• Be ready to assist your teen if they encounter problems.
• Try to remove some of the pressure they may be facing by not placing so much emphasis on grades, achievements, and college acceptances.

Bringing up any difficult subjects with your teen can feel uncomfortable. And your teen isn't likely to respond well to a lengthy lecture or too many direct questions. But having a conversation with your teen about social issues and other teenage troubles isn't something you should shy away from.

Even when it seems like they're not listening, you're the most influential person in your teen's life. It's important to lay a strong foundation before the window of opportunity closes. A good way to strike up a conversation about drugs, sex, vaping, or other uncomfortable situations is to ask a question like, "Do you think this is a big issue at your school?"

Listen to what your teen has to say. Try not to be judgmental, but make your expectations and opinions clear. It's important that your teen understands that you don't condone certain behaviors and that they know the consequences of breaking the rules. That said, you also need to communicate that if they do make a poor choice, it's not the end of the world and that you're there to help.

Technology-Based Communication and the Development of Interpersonal Competencies Within Adolescent Romantic Relationships: A Preliminary Investigation .  J Res Adolesc . 2017.

Growing Up Wired: Social Networking Sites and Adolescent Psychosocial Development .  Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev . 2014.

Associations Between Social Media and Cyberbullying: A Review of the Literature .  Mhealth . 2016.

Smartphones, Social Media Use and Youth Mental Health .  CMAJ . 2020.

Sexting, Mental Health, and Victimization Among Adolescents: A Literature Review .  Int J Environ Res Public Health . 2019.

Emotional Desensitization to Violence Contributes to Adolescents' Violent Behavior .  J Abnorm Child Psychol . 2016.

Screen Violence and Youth Behavior .  Pediatrics . 2017.

Tips on How to Deal With Media Violence . Common Sense Media.

Major Depression . National Institute on Mental Health.

Physical Exercise in Major Depression: Reducing the Mortality Gap While Improving Clinical Outcomes .  Front Psychiatry . 2018.

The Myths & Facts of Youth Suicide . Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health (DPBH) Office of Suicide Prevention .

Bullying Statistics: Rates of Incidence . National Bullying Prevention Center .

Cyberbullying Prevalence Among US Middle and High School-Aged Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Quality Assessment .  J Adolesc Health . 2016.

Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report 2011–2021 . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Adolescents and Young Adults . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

Monitoring the Future: National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2023: Secondary School Students . National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Reported Drug Use Among Adolescents Continued to Hold Below Pre-Pandemic Levels in 2023 . National Institute on Drug Abuse.

The Effect of Alcohol Use on Human Adolescent Brain Structures and Systems .  Handb Clin Neurol . 2014.

Prevalence of Childhood Obesity in the United States . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

Morbidity and Mortality associated With Obesity .  Ann Transl Med . 2017.

BMI Health Report Cards: Parents' perceptions and reactions .  Health Promot Pract . 2018.

Status Dropout Rates . National Center for Education Statistics. 

Burned Out to Drop Out: Exploring the Relationship Between School Burnout and School Dropout .  Eur J Psychol Educ . 2012.

Related Articles

Friday essay: Bad therapy or cruel world? How the youth mental health crisis has been sucked into the culture wars

Professor of Psychology, The University of Melbourne

Disclosure statement

Nick Haslam receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

University of Melbourne provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation AU.

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Rates of mental ill health among young people are on the rise. Between the years 2020 and 2022, 39% of Australians aged 16 to 24 had a mental disorder in the previous year , compared to 26% in that age range in 2007, and 27% of those aged 18–24 in 1997.

The recent Lancet Psychiatry commission on youth mental health documents equally steep increases in mental illness in the United States, UK and Denmark. Governments, mental health services, educational institutions and parents are struggling to respond. But what is behind these trends?

Two accounts seem to be emerging. According to one, which I’ll call the “cruel world” narrative, young people are distressed because the world is in bad shape and getting worse.

Facing climate emergency, unaffordable housing, precarious employment, rising inequality and other dire mega-trends, they are canaries in a societal coalmine. By this account, the mental health crisis is the direct result of systemic adversity.

The alternative, which I’ll call the “cultural trend” narrative, is a little less bleak. Young people are experiencing more mental illness not primarily because the world is grim and getting grimmer, but because cultural shifts have shaped how they perceive and inhabit it.

This narrative suggests a culture preoccupied with harm creates vulnerability and leads people to view life problems through a psychiatric lens. Adversity and social dislocation undoubtedly contribute to young people’s distress, but the way therapeutic culture frames their suffering makes it worse.

The two narratives offer different prescriptions.

From the “cruel world” perspective, the ultimate causes of the mental health crisis are the basic structures of our society, economy and ecology. Only systemic, macro-level changes can arrest them.

For proponents of the “cultural trend” narrative, the focus of intervention is more micro. We should challenge the social practices and technologies that create vulnerability and undermine mental health.

As a social psychologist, I take it as self-evident that adverse social environments play a leading role in the creation of mental ill health: that we can’t isolate human misery from its broader context. However, I’m equally certain that culture plays a crucial part.

A range of cultural changes that could plausibly undermine mental health are well underway: increased immersion in the digital world, rising political polarisation and preoccupation with risk and harm, among others. Separating them from the tangled skein of factors that contribute to the youth mental health crisis is a matter of urgency.

Abigail Shrier’s new book Bad Therapy , a forceful exposition of the “cultural trend” narrative, provides a golden opportunity to explore some of them.

Youth mental health and the culture wars

Journalist and cultural critic Soraya Chemaly’s recent book The Resilience Myth exemplifies the first narrative. Young people are distressed “because the world is distressing, and adults have failed them”. Their sensitivity and emotional honesty place them at higher risk of distress than their elders, and the ubiquity of trauma, oppression and existential climate threat tip that risk into illness.

Chemaly’s solutions lean towards the revolutionary. Her targets include individualism, rigid gender ideologies, capitalism and white supremacy.

Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation presents a version of the second narrative. Haidt does not deny the magnitude of the challenges young people face. However, he questions whether their rising rates of mental ill health directly follow increases in adversity.

This inflection point in the trajectory of young people’s mental ill health appears to have occurred in the early 2010s. However, many of the systemic trends now held responsible for the crisis – like climate change and rising income inequality – have been building over a much longer period, when rates of ill health were relatively stable. By implication, the precipitating causes must be more specific, recent developments.

Haidt identifies two such changes: the advent of smartphones and “safetyism”. His focus on smartphones has been widely reported . But his equally important emphasis on the cultural preoccupation with protecting us from harm has received less attention.

Haidt argues that parental and institutional over-protection hampers the development of young people’s resilience and autonomy. Citing the idea of “anti-fragility” he proposes that risk, challenge and failure are required to build strength.

By now, it should be obvious that the youth mental health crisis has become politicised, sucked into the vortex of the culture wars.

The crisis can be attributed either to an uncaring system that oppresses the most vulnerable, or to emerging social trends that do young minds no favours. It can be addressed either by progressive social change, such as economic redistribution and environmental protection, or by winding back some damaging cultural developments, such as promoting unsupervised play for children and restricting access to smartphones in schools .

Blaming ‘bad therapy’

Whereas Haidt spends much of his book on the damage done by young people’s immersion in the digital world, in Bad Therapy, Shrier castigates mental health experts for contributing to the crisis they claim to be addressing.

Shrier is a controversial figure. Her previous book Irreversible Damage drew protests and bans for critiquing youth gender medicine and arguing that social contagion plays a role in the rise of girls seeking gender transition.

The former lawyer and Wall Street Journal columnist, who has not previously written at length on mental health, is just as fierce in prosecuting the case against the growing influence of mental health expertise.

Bad Therapy begins by arguing that the rise in mental ill health among young people is not merely a response to deepening life challenges. Instead, Shrier writes, it is driven by destructive cultural shifts and misguided experts. She suggests many people who are experiencing ordinary problems in living have been led to believe their unhappiness is psychiatric in nature.

Shrier is quick to clarify that distress often is genuinely severe. There are “two distinct groups of young people”, she argues: those experiencing “profound mental illness” and “the worriers; the fearful; the lonely, lost, and sad”.

This second group is Shrier’s battleground. These “worriers” have fallen victim to shifts in education and parenting, and to the expansionism of the mental health field. On this point, she doesn’t mince her words. “No industry refuses the prospect of exponential growth,” she writes, and “the mental health industry is minting patients faster than it can cure them.” As a result, “we rush to remedy a misdiagnosed condition with the wrong sort of cure”.

Shrier challenges the common view that mental health interventions – therapy for short – are invariably beneficial. She reviews evidence suggesting therapy is less helpful than it is touted to be, and that it can sometimes be actively harmful. For instance, “psychological debriefing” immediately after exposure to traumas can interfere with recovery .

Mental health treatment can undermine recovery, she suggests, by “hijack[ing] our normal processes of resilience” and creating dependency on professionals. It can crystallise illness by applying diagnostic labels too liberally.

Diagnoses may bring relief to anxious and desperate parents, but they can also affect how their children perceive themselves and are perceived by others. Much like therapeutic staples such as trauma and chemical imbalance , diagnostic terms can convey the view that young people are fundamentally damaged and have little control over their predicaments.

Many of these critiques of therapy chime with familiar attacks on medicalisation . But Shrier also advances some newer criticisms. Mental health treatment can induce rumination and a passive focus on feelings: common features of anxiety and depression. “Bad therapy encourages hyperfocus on one’s emotional states, which in turn makes symptoms worse.”

Therapy can also affirm young people’s worries and encourage public sharing of distress in ways that can entrench unhelpful patterns. “A dose of repression,” Shrier counters, “appears to be a fairly useful psychological tool for getting on with life.”

Mental health workers overlook the possibility that talk therapy can have these adverse consequences, Shrier argues – although it is no less plausible that some psychological treatments may do harm than that some medications can have adverse side effects. Without questioning therapists’ desire to help, she takes the hardheaded view that they have incentives not to acknowledge the harm they may be causing.

Should teachers be delivering therapy?

The clear implication of Shrier’s argument is that we should challenge, rather than expand, therapeutic approaches to young people’s mental health. Instead, she finds that American schools are riddled with bad therapy, often under the banner of “social-emotional learning”.

Shrier maintains that social-emotional learning licenses psychologically untrained teachers to work in a therapeutic mode. It encourages excessive self-focus, demands emotional disclosure and can expose children to dual relationships, all out of view of their parents.

Social-emotional learning and related elements of therapeutic schooling don’t just encourage unhelpful inwardness, she argues. She contends they also use questionable teaching methods and draw time and energy away from academic learning.

Of one effort to smuggle emotional learning into a maths class, Shrier writes: “I began to wonder whether this wasn’t some sort of ploy by the Chinese Communist Party to obliterate American mathematical competence.” She concludes that

social-emotional learning turns out to be a lot like the Holy Roman Empire. Neither social, nor good for emotional health, nor something that can be learned.

Schools’ therapeutic missions also undermine how they educate disadvantaged students. Shrier contends that some “trauma-informed” practice prejudges students who have experienced hardship as fragile and in need of blanket mental health interventions, while lowering expectations for their behaviour and academic achievement. Meanwhile, classroom chaos is created by excessive accommodation of disruptive students.

Shrier takes aim at the outsized role “trauma” plays in currently popular accounts of mental ill health. She reserves some of her sharpest criticism for psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk , whose bestselling book, The Body Keeps the Score, places trauma front and centre in mental ill health, and physician Gabriel Maté , who claims trauma contributes to everything from cancer to ADHD.

Seeing childhood trauma as the buried root of most adult mental health problems conflicts with copious evidence that resilience is the normal response to adversity – and that trauma memories tend to be recalled accurately, rather than locked voiceless in the body. Shrier maintains that the concept of trauma has become trivialised through over-use. She chastises experts for characterising problems ranging from anger outbursts to procrastination as trauma responses.

In the school environment, the consequences of elevating trauma are troubling:

under the banner of “whole child” education and “trauma-informed” care, educators greet every child with the emotional analogue of a gurney, all but begging kids to hop in. They never wait to see who might be injured because every child is encouraged to see herself as overtaxed and worn out. They encourage every child, constantly, to think about herself and her struggles.

Against ‘gentle’ parenting and ‘overmanaged’ kids

Shrier condemns schools for usurping parental authority, but argues that contemporary parenting also subverts itself.

“Gentle” styles of child-rearing end up creating anxious, unresilient children whose demands are endlessly accommodated and whose dependency is reinforced. A strange combination of permissiveness and over-involvement makes for exhausted parents who are unwilling to exercise adult authority or to impose consequences on behaviour, she argues.

Liberal American parents may look askance at earlier styles of parenting, but by placing emotional wellness front and centre in their relationships with their children, they are making their task harder and more thankless.

As Shrier observes:

forty-year-old parents – accomplished, brilliant, and blessed with a spouse – treat the raising of kids like a calculus problem that was put to them in the dead of night: Get it right or I pull this trigger .

Ultimately, the failures of therapeutic parenting are another strike against the mental health experts who advocated for it. Shrier urges parents to cut themselves loose from the advice of parenting sages, for the good of their children: “love means occasionally telling an expert to get lost”.

Concretely, parents should step back, stop compulsively monitoring and over-praising their children, reduce scheduled activities, enforce consequences and encourage independent behaviour. She writes: “if you could do something at their age, let them give it a whirl”.

A parent’s goal should be to set their children free from an “overmanaged, veal-calf life” and ensure they experience “all of the pains of adulthood, in smaller doses, so that they build up immunity to the poison of heartache and loss”.

Not all therapy is bad therapy

Bad Therapy is an unashamedly polemical book. Shrier has strong views on what is wrong with the culture of mental health in the US –  and takes these supposed failings as examples of broader progressive trends she opposes.

The mental health crisis troubles her not only for its human costs, but because it erodes key conservative values: self-reliance, strength, parental authority and freedom from institutional compulsion.

Shrier’s rhetoric is sharp-elbowed, with a memorable turn of phrase. Some villains are identified and savaged, though the criticised cabal of mental health experts is often a faceless mass. The book is studded with revealing case studies and she interviews many leading scientists, like Paul Bloom, author of Against Empathy , memory expert Elizabeth Loftus , leading trauma psychologist Richard McNally , and generational difference researcher Jean Twenge .

Though she presents herself as defending science against ideology, at times Shrier’s claims run ahead of the data. There is little evidence that mental health interventions are creating ill health on a large scale, for example, or that increases in self-diagnosis among young people account for increases in their levels of distress.

Some schools may implement socio-emotional learning in problematic ways. But studies typically find that they benefit academic achievement . And though there is evidence that today’s young adults are reaching some developmental milestones later than earlier generations, there is little direct evidence that gentle parenting is responsible for the delays.

Shrier tends to present the mental health world as a monolith. But anyone working in it knows it to be criss-crossed with divisions: between researchers and practitioners, consumers and professionals, medical and non-medical workers, and numerous disciplines and therapeutic tribes.

The idea that this Babel of voices is united in a process of crisis creation is hard to credit. Not all therapy is bad therapy. Indeed, many of the positions Shrier espouses – for facing challenges head on and experiencing the consequences of our behaviour, and against safetyism, over-medication and the therapeutic excavation of our childhoods – are gospel for mainstream cognitive behaviour therapists.

Correcting concerning trends

Even so, for all its exaggerations and simplifications, Bad Therapy is a timely corrective to some real and concerning trends. It is increasingly clear that over-diagnosis of mental illness is common, especially among young people, and that diagnostic labelling can have adverse implications .

It now seems likely that campaigns to boost mental health awareness sometimes backfire and pathologise ordinary unhappiness. School-based prevention initiatives are sometimes ineffective and can even reduce wellbeing.

Most of all, it is becoming obvious that although there is a high unmet need for treatment, simply expanding the current mental health system – training more therapists, funding more sessions and services, further boosting awareness of mental health, embedding a therapeutic sensibility in more of our institutions – cannot be relied on to substantially reduce mental ill health.

Research on the so-called “treatment-prevalence paradox” demonstrates that large increases in service provision have failed to reduce rates of mental illness. Current treatment practices have only modest efficacy in real-world settings. Reasons likely include the complexity and recurring nature of many mental health problems, and the low quality implementation and short-lived benefit of many treatments.

Some treatments also clearly do more harm than good, for some patients. A recent evaluation of Australia’s Better Access program, which gives Medicare rebates to help people access mental health care, found that patients who sought help for relatively mild distress were three times more likely to deteriorate than to improve (patients in more severe distress typically improved).

In this context, Shrier has some grounds to be sceptical that doing more of the same will turn around the mental health crisis. There is no question that more needs to be done – but believing that the solution is to scale up current practice seems, as Samuel Johnson said of a second marriage, a triumph of hope over experience.

Shrier addresses her concluding chapters to parents, urging them to reclaim the confidence that they know what’s right for their child. The trouble is, parents rarely know to which of Shrier’s “two distinct groups of young people” their child belongs.

How could they know? No bright line separates the supposed victims of therapy culture from the profoundly ill. Faced with a loved one’s distress, what can parents do but seek the forms of help that are currently available?

Our young people will continue to be funnelled toward mental health treatment in alarming numbers. We can only hope it will become more effective and less necessary.

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A series of FT View editorials and daily online debates will make the case for a new deal for the young. Beginning on Monday 26 April, they will address housing, pensions, jobs, education, the climate and tax over the course of the week.  Click to register for the events and see all the other articles

Growing inequality between generations has been exacerbated by the pandemic and has left many people in their teens, twenties and thirties feeling like they have got a raw deal.

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While the majority of respondents were from the UK and US, others who shared their views were from Europe, Brazil, Egypt, and Asia-Pacific. Many of the respondents, though not all, were graduates who worked in sectors such as law, banking, media, education, science and technology. Many did not want to share their full names or personal details for fear of professional and personal repercussions.

People spoke of the difficulties — and benefits — of being young in today’s difficult economic times compared with their parents’ generation, and about issues relating to housing, education, jobs, pensions and the environment.

The responses formed the starting point for an in-depth analysis of the problems faced by young people today by Sarah O’Connor, our employment columnist. It is the first article in an FT series on what policies would make the economy work better for today’s youth.

Here we highlight some of the many hundreds of comments we received from readers:

Cramped housing

I absolutely cannot relate to mid career professionals being glad to be at home in their leafy three bedroom houses with gardens, when I have to have mid afternoon calls with the sound of my flatmates frying fish for lunch in the background. — A 20-year-old female reader living in London

The burden of student loans

Student loans feel like a unique problem for our generation. I can’t think of a similarity in the past when youth had such large financial burdens that can’t be discharged in most cases. Not that cancellation is necessarily the right choice. I knew what I signed up for, but what was the alternative, work in a coffee shop while the rest of my generation bettered themselves?

Mortgages and car payments just aren’t comparable to the $100k in loans I’ve been forced to deal with since I was 22. The rest seems similar. We have climate change and equality, my parents generations had communist totalitarian governments, nuclear war and . . . equality. — Matt, who works in Chicago, US

Mismatched ideas

The older generation has never understood that while our pay has increased it has been wiped out by extortionate rise in property prices. The older generation also thinks young people only enjoy spending money on experiences rather than saving money, which is not true. — A 30-year-old engineer living in the UK

Living with uncertainty

Older generations don’t feel the uncertainty we younger generation live with. Now it is more common for us to have more temporary jobs, for example, the gig economy. This uncertainty makes planning for future harder and makes taking risks impossible. — Ahmed, a lecturer living in Egypt

Scrap stamp duty on housing

The government needs to sort out house prices and stop inflating them. It should also scrap stamp duty and introduce annual property taxes instead. — A 25-year-old investment banker living in London

Emotionally better off than my parents

I know I’ll be better off than my parents. My mom came from an Italian immigrant family with seven siblings. I’m one of the first people to graduate from college with a four-year degree and one of the only people employed. Neither of my parents really ‘did’ therapy through their adult lives despite needing it, whereas I’ve had a therapist since my second year in college.

I think a common misperception about being better off is the focus on wealth — being better off also means being more emotionally and mentally healthy, which I know I am already better off than many of my family members. — Alicia, a financial analyst living in America

London feels increasingly full of anxious, burnt out 20- and 30-something-year-olds who spend half their income on a cramped flat with a damp problem and spend their weekends in the foetal position on their landlord’s Ikea sofa, endlessly scrolling through the latest app.

We have so much more than our parents did at our age, but also so much less. — A 25-year-old woman from the UK

Artificially high property prices

Current policies like Help to Buy are making things worse for young people in Britain. The prices of new builds are artificially inflated as builders know HTB can only be used on new builds! £450,000 for a one bed flat in London? Jog on. It’s insane. — Chris, in his late twenties living in London

Gen X doesn’t understand Gen Y

Generation X, doesn’t understand Generation Y, who doesn’t understand Generation Z — Andreas, a young doctor from Bulgaria

Regulate financial markets

I also have a feeling that regulating the financial markets would create more stability which would reduce the constant fear of a market meltdown — Kasper from Finland

Who is accountable?

Sustainability (renewable energy, mindful meat consumption, plastic usage awareness, social responsibility, ESG) are utmost key, and older generations seem to miss this. It feels they have put us in a stage where there is no going back, and there is no accountability whatsoever. — Renato, a risk manager from Brazil

Soaring rents

Many items that are considered a luxury to older generations, holidays, clothes, going out to eat, for example, are cheaper these days, but buying a house or renting is so much more expensive compared to when my parents were young. A lot of young people can afford the former not the latter, but for many older generations it seems the opposite was true, which creates contrasting views from each side about who has it worse. — Sophie, in her mid-twenties, from London

Young vs old

A number of older people I know are relatively sympathetic to a lot of the issues we face. There is a young versus old narrative pushed by certain sections of the media which, at least for many older people with families, has rung hollow with me. Generally they do recognise that we live in a more competitive world than they grew up in, for university places, jobs, housing etc. If anything I feel older generations probably understand younger people better than we understand them — Alex, a student solicitor in London

Cannot afford to buy a house

There is no acceptance that working from home is not feasible for younger people where you’re in significantly smaller accommodation. My company released an internal communication informing us how to be more efficient working in shared accommodation or working from your bedroom at the same time as starting consultation on closing all offices and homeworking permanently. — Lewis, who is working and studying in Bristol, UK

I have a mildly dystopian view

I feel older generations don’t understand the value of money, and it feels strange because my parents have lived a frugal life and I am doing well enough for myself, yet, given the economy, I feel compelled to save, while they don’t understand why I think thrice before every purchase.

On the issue of non-renewable resources, I feel that my parents have a particularly different mindset compared to mine; I have a mild compulsion to turn off any running tap or switch if it’s not being used. They have this comfort and faith that there will be enough for the coming generations, while I have a mildly dystopian view of the future Water/Resource Wars — Pia, a woman in her twenties in India

Steep housing costs

At my age on an apprentice’s salary my dad owned his own house and was buying and flipping more houses. I’ve got a masters degree, earning about 40 per cent more than the national average and I’m still struggling to find anywhere. They just don’t seem to understand, my dad refused to believe me until I showed him the tiny studio flats selling in my area for almost £300k — A data scientist in his late twenties, working in the UK

My generation is worn out

In many ways I think I am better off than my parents were. I’ve been able to travel and live in different countries. I had more choices than women before me. Where I live, I can love whomever I want to love. I do not have a physical job that wears down my body. But I guess each generation faces different challenges.

My generation is perhaps more likely to be mentally worn out. Housing is less affordable and returns are relatively less certain and I don’t have a pension or a pensions saving account that is protected from double taxation. — Deborah from the Netherlands

Change the voting system

It is probably an unrealistic policy change, but I would like to see some kind of weighting system applied to future voting (be it elections or referendums). The older you are, the fewer years you have left to live and the less you will have to suffer from poor long-term choices.

Brexit is a good example of this. Foolish and impressionable members of the older generation selfishly voted to leave the EU — a decision which will cause long-term damage for my generation well after they are deceased. Older people’s votes should have counted for less in the referendum. — David, working in fintech in London

Introduce a ‘meat licence’

I would introduce a “meat license” which every adult in the UK would require before they purchase/consume meat. To get this license, once a year they would have to go to an abattoir and slaughter a cow or pig. Once they have done this, they are allowed to consume as much meat as they want during the year.

This would encourage others to switch to alternatives that are available or at least reduce meat waste which is a tragically growing issue in the rich world. — Dan, working in London, UK

Replace student fees

Instead of tuition fee loans and maintenance loans I would give all young people a lump sum at regular intervals for their first several years post 18. They could use this towards going to uni, getting training, buying a house, etc. It would help diversify the paths people take post 18 whilst redistributing wealth. — A man in his mid-twenties living in Sheffield, UK

*Comments have been edited for length, style and clarity

Feel free to join the conversation by sharing your thoughts and experiences in the comment section below.

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‘It’s Life or Death’: The Mental Health Crisis Among U.S. Teens

Depression, self-harm and suicide are rising among American adolescents. For one 13-year-old, the despair was almost too much to take.

By Matt Richtel

Photographs by Annie Flanagan

Matt Richtel spent more than a year interviewing adolescents and their families for this series on the mental health crisis.

One evening last April, an anxious and free-spirited 13-year-old girl in suburban Minneapolis sprang furious from a chair in the living room and ran from the house — out a sliding door, across the patio, through the backyard and into the woods.

Moments earlier, the girl’s mother, Linda, had stolen a look at her daughter’s smartphone. The teenager, incensed by the intrusion, had grabbed the phone and fled. (The adolescent is being identified by an initial, M, and the parents by first name only, to protect the family’s privacy.)

Linda was alarmed by photos she had seen on the phone. Some showed blood on M’s ankles from intentional self-harm. Others were close-ups of M’s romantic obsession, the anime character Genocide Jack — a brunette girl with a long red tongue who, in a video series, kills high school classmates with scissors.

In the preceding two years, Linda had watched M spiral downward: severe depression, self-harm, a suicide attempt. Now, she followed M into the woods, frantic. “Please tell me where u r,” she texted. “I’m not mad.”

American adolescence is undergoing a drastic change. Three decades ago, the gravest public health threats to teenagers in the United States came from binge drinking, drunken driving, teenage pregnancy and smoking. These have since fallen sharply, replaced by a new public health concern: soaring rates of mental health disorders.

In 2019, 13 percent of adolescents reported having a major depressive episode , a 60 percent increase from 2007 . Emergency room visits by children and adolescents in that period also rose sharply for anxiety, mood disorders and self-harm. And for people ages 10 to 24, suicide rates, stable from 2000 to 2007, leaped nearly 60 percent by 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Emergency room visits for self-harm by children and adolescents rose sharply over the last decade, particularly among young women.

600 E.R. visits

per 100,000

Emergency room visits

for self-inflicted injuries

Ages 10–19

Emergency room visits for self-harm by children and adolescents rose sharply over the last decade, particularly for young women.

room visits

for self-harm

Rates of smoking, drugs, alcohol and sex declined among high school students over the last decade, continuing trends that started over two decades ago.

One notable exception was a rise in excessive smartphone and computer use over the last decade.

Use a smartphone ,

tablet, computer or

game console at least

3 hours a day, not

including school work

Recently drank

Watch television

3 hours a day

Last sex was

unprotected

Get at least

8 hours of sleep

Feelings of sadness and hopelessness rose over the same decade, and suicidal thoughts increased.

Persistently felt

sad or hopeless

Made a suicide plan

Attempted suicide

Injured in a suicide

attempt and needed

medical treatment

Feelings of sadness and hopelessness rose, and suicidal thoughts increased.

How Matt Richtel spoke to adolescents and their parents for this series

In mid-April, I was speaking to the mother of a suicidal teenager whose struggles I’ve been closely following. I asked how her daughter was doing.

Not well, the mother said: “If we can’t find something drastic to help this kid, this kid will not be here long term.” She started to cry. “It’s out of our hands, it’s out of our control,” she said. “We’re trying everything.”

She added: “It’s like waiting for the end.”

Over nearly 18 months of reporting, I got to know many adolescents and their families and interviewed dozens of doctors, therapists and experts in the science of adolescence. I heard wrenching stories of pain and uncertainty. From the outset, my editors and I discussed how best to handle the identities of people in crisis.

The Times sets a high bar for granting sources anonymity; our stylebook calls it “a last resort” for situations where important information can’t be published any other way. Often, the sources might face a threat to their career or even their safety, whether from a vindictive boss or a hostile government.

In this case, the need for anonymity had a different imperative: to protect the privacy of young, vulnerable adolescents. They have harmed themselves and attempted suicide, and some have threatened to try again. In recounting their stories, we had to be mindful that our first duty was to their safety.

If The Times published the names of these adolescents, they could be easily identified years later. Would that harm their employment opportunities? Would a teen — a legal minor — later regret having exposed his or her identity during a period of pain and struggle? Would seeing the story published amplify ongoing crises?

As a result, some teenagers are identified by first initial only; some of their parents are identified by first name or initial. Over months, I got to know M, J and C, and in Kentucky, I came to know struggling adolescents I identified only by their ages, 12, 13 and 15. In some stories, we did not publish precisely where the families lived.

Everyone I interviewed gave their own consent, and parents were typically present for the interviews with their adolescents. On a few occasions, a parent offered to leave the room, or an adolescent asked for privacy and the parent agreed.

In these articles, I heard grief, confusion and a desperate search for answers. The voices of adolescents and their parents, while shielded by anonymity, deepen an understanding of this mental health crisis.

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• 07 October 2021

Young people’s mental health is finally getting the attention it needs

You have full access to this article via your institution.

A kite-flying festival in a refugee camp near Syria’s border with Turkey. The event was organized in July 2020 to support the health and well-being of children fleeing violence in Syria. Credit: Muhammed Said/Anadolu Agency/Getty

Worldwide, at least 13% of people between the ages of 10 and 19 live with a diagnosed mental-health disorder, according to the latest State of the World’s Children report , published this week by the United Nations children’s charity UNICEF. It’s the first time in the organization’s history that this flagship report has tackled the challenges in and opportunities for preventing and treating mental-health problems among young people. It reveals that adolescent mental health is highly complex, understudied — and underfunded. These findings are echoed in a parallel collection of review articles published this week in a number of Springer Nature journals.

Anxiety and depression constitute more than 40% of mental-health disorders among young people (those aged 10–19). UNICEF also reports that, worldwide, suicide is the fourth most-common cause of death (after road injuries, tuberculosis and interpersonal violence) among adolescents (aged 15–19). In eastern Europe and central Asia, suicide is the leading cause of death for young people in that age group — and it’s the second-highest cause in western Europe and North America.

Collection: Promoting youth mental health

Sadly, psychological distress among young people seems to be rising. One study found that rates of depression among a nationally representative sample of US adolescents (aged 12 to 17) increased from 8.5% of young adults to 13.2% between 2005 and 2017 1 . There’s also initial evidence that the coronavirus pandemic is exacerbating this trend in some countries. For example, in a nationwide study 2 from Iceland, adolescents (aged 13–18) reported significantly more symptoms of mental ill health during the pandemic than did their peers before it. And girls were more likely to experience these symptoms than were boys.

Although most mental-health disorders arise during adolescence, UNICEF says that only one-third of investment in mental-health research is targeted towards young people. Moreover, the research itself suffers from fragmentation — scientists involved tend to work inside some key disciplines, such as psychiatry, paediatrics, psychology and epidemiology, and the links between research and health-care services are often poor. This means that effective forms of prevention and treatment are limited, and lack a solid understanding of what works, in which context and why.

This week’s collection of review articles dives deep into the state of knowledge of interventions — those that work and those that don’t — for preventing and treating anxiety and depression in young people aged 14–24. In some of the projects, young people with lived experience of anxiety and depression were co-investigators, involved in both the design and implementation of the reviews, as well as in interpretation of the findings.

Quest for new therapies

Worldwide, the most common treatment for anxiety and depression is a class of drug called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which increase serotonin levels in the brain and are intended to enhance emotion and mood. But their modest efficacy and substantial side effects 3 have spurred the study of alternative physiological mechanisms that could be involved in youth depression and anxiety, so that new therapeutics can be developed.

Mental health: build predictive models to steer policy

For example, researchers have been investigating potential links between depression and inflammatory disorders — such as asthma, cardiovascular disease and inflammatory bowel disease. This is because, in many cases, adults with depression also experience such disorders. Moreover, there’s evidence that, in mice, changes to the gut microbiota during development reduce behaviours similar to those linked to anxiety and depression in people 4 . That suggests that targeting the gut microbiome during adolescence could be a promising avenue for reducing anxiety in young people. Kathrin Cohen Kadosh at the University of Surrey in Guildford, UK, and colleagues reviewed existing reports of interventions in which diets were changed to target the gut microbiome. These were found to have had minimal effect on youth anxiety 5 . However, the authors urge caution before such a conclusion can be confirmed, citing methodological limitations (including small sample sizes) among the studies they reviewed. They say the next crop of studies will need to involve larger-scale clinical trials.

By contrast, researchers have found that improving young people’s cognitive and interpersonal skills can be more effective in preventing and treating anxiety and depression under certain circumstances — although the reason for this is not known. For instance, a concept known as ‘decentring’ or ‘psychological distancing’ (that is, encouraging a person to adopt an objective perspective on negative thoughts and feelings) can help both to prevent and to alleviate depression and anxiety, report Marc Bennett at the University of Cambridge, UK, and colleagues 6 , although the underlying neurobiological mechanisms are unclear.

In addition, Alexander Daros at the Campbell Family Mental Health Institute in Toronto, Canada, and colleagues report a meta-analysis of 90 randomized controlled trials. They found that helping young people to improve their emotion-regulation skills, which are needed to control emotional responses to difficult situations, enables them to cope better with anxiety and depression 7 . However, it is still unclear whether better regulation of emotions is the cause or the effect of these improvements.

Co-production is essential

It’s uncommon — but increasingly seen as essential — that researchers working on treatments and interventions are directly involving young people who’ve experienced mental ill health. These young people need to be involved in all aspects of the research process, from conceptualizing to and designing a study, to conducting it and interpreting the results. Such an approach will lead to more-useful science, and will lessen the risk of developing irrelevant or inappropriate interventions.

Science careers and mental health

Two such young people are co-authors in a review from Karolin Krause at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada, and colleagues. The review explored whether training in problem solving helps to alleviate depressive symptoms 8 . The two youth partners, in turn, convened a panel of 12 other youth advisers, and together they provided input on shaping how the review of the evidence was carried out and on interpreting and contextualizing the findings. The study concluded that, although problem-solving training could help with personal challenges when combined with other treatments, it doesn’t on its own measurably reduce depressive symptoms.

The overarching message that emerges from these reviews is that there is no ‘silver bullet’ for preventing and treating anxiety and depression in young people — rather, prevention and treatment will need to rely on a combination of interventions that take into account individual needs and circumstances. Higher-quality evidence is also needed, such as large-scale trials using established protocols.

Along with the UNICEF report, the studies underscore the transformational part that funders must urgently play, and why researchers, clinicians and communities must work together on more studies that genuinely involve young people as co-investigators. Together, we can all do better to create a brighter, healthier future for a generation of young people facing more challenges than ever before.

Nature 598 , 235-236 (2021)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-02690-5

Twenge, J. M., Cooper, A. B., Joiner, T. E., Duffy, M. E. & Binau, S. G. J. Abnorm. Psychol. 128 , 185–199 (2019).

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Thorisdottir, I. E. et al. Lancet Psychiatr. 8 , 663–672 (2021).

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Murphy, S. E. et al. Lancet Psychiatr. 8 , 824–835 (2021).

Murray, E. et al. Brain Behav. Immun. 81 , 198–212 (2019).

Cohen Kadosh, K. et al. Transl. Psychiatr. 11 , 352 (2021).

Bennett, M. P. et al. Transl Psychiatr. 11 , 288 (2021).

Daros, A. R. et al. Nature Hum. Behav . https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-021-01191-9 (2021).

Krause, K. R. et al. BMC Psychiatr. 21 , 397 (2021).

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Essays About Youth: Top 5 Essay Examples Plus 10 Prompts

Discover our guide with creative writing prompts and examples for essays about youth to help you get started on your next great essay!

Youth is that cusp between childhood and adulthood — a period filled with zest, adventure, and impulsiveness. Our future depends on the youth of today. As such, we are well-advised to equip ourselves with sufficient skills and knowledge to resolve future problems effectively. We must also train them to develop a moral compass, incredible determination, and deep compassion for others to serve well as future leaders.

5 Essay Examples

1. youth in revolt: five powerful movements fueled by young activist by erin blakemore, 2. what you can learn from a young ceo by elaine pofeldt, 3. advice to the youth by mark twain , 4. us youth are in a mental health crisis—we must invest in their care by mitchell j. prinstein, 5. young people are leaving their jobs in record numbers—and not going back by raisa bruner, 1. effects of social media on youth self-esteem, 2. youth’s learning crisis, 3. addressing youth obesity, 4. encouraging stem careers for youth, 5. engaging youth in community building, 6. why youth engage in cybercrime, 7. love for today’s youth, 8. national youth day, 9. substance abuse prevention for youth , 10. benefits of sex education to youth.

“Youth who participated in the civil rights movement embraced what one-time SNCC chairman Representative John Lewis called “good trouble”—fearless agitation designed to provoke, challenge, and move progress forward.”

Youth have always driven impactful social and political movements in whatever era and whichever part of the globe they are. This essay recounts some of history’s most powerful and meaningful protests mobilized by youth. Check out these essays about life lessons .

“Whether we needed to select a blogging platform or figure out how to keep costs down, we invariably found that younger CEOs were great sources of ideas.”

Gone are the days when one would purely seek older people for wisdom in business. With the competition in the digital age, youth are proving to bring in a wealth of ideas that can effectively support business strategies.

“Build your character thoughtfully and painstakingly upon these precepts, and by and by, when you have got it built, you will be surprised and gratified to see how nicely and sharply it resembles everybody else’s. ”

The American writer shows his humor and sarcasm by teaching youth the art of lying and handling firearms carelessly. Ultimately, he tells those who would succeed that they would be no different than the rest of society. 

“We have an opportunity to make a serious commitment to youth mental health, just as we did 70 years ago to help adults. This is a chance for parents, teachers, and youth to stop whispering about their mental health needs and begin shouting for our country to invest in its future and end our children’s suffering.”

As youth suicides have increased over the years, data shows that it is now the second leading cause of death among 10- to 24-year-olds. The situation demands urgent action and a rethink of the overall mental health system.

“For some, it’s burnout. For others, the timing was ripe to refocus on side projects as the stresses of the pandemic started to wane. And for many, especially in a service sector dominated by “zillennials”… poor treatment and low wages became unsustainable.”

The pandemic burnout has driven the Great Resignation among youth, leaving over 10 million jobs in the US unoccupied. This triggers a sea change in the societal landscape, where young workers pursue their self-worth and can afford to do so.

10 Thought-Provoking Prompts On Essays About Youth

While we all tend to compare our qualities and achievements to those of others, social media has made this habit worse. To youth, the biggest market of social media platforms, this has resulted in lower self-esteem, especially for girls . In your essay, gather present research that studies the links between social media use and low confidence levels. Then, recommend ways for young readers to spend more time in the real world and rebuild their self-esteem.

In recent years, it has been recognized that the world is facing a learning crisis that even the wealthier G20 countries are not exempt from . But as the COVID-19 pandemic has halted face-to-face school interactions for prolonged periods, what does the future of education and skills-building look like for our youth? Answer this with the support of research studies and data, and surveys from reputed organizations and agencies. Finally, enumerate the best ways to invest in our youth’s education.

Many cases of obesity among youth are due to the lack of exercise. For this topic prompt, lay down the negative effects of obesity, such as the increased likelihood of diabetes, hypertension, lack of self-esteem, and depression. Then, with research on wellness experts’ advice, encourage readers to change their lifestyle one step at a time to address or prevent obesity. For example, walking for 10 minutes to take a break from work could be a powerful start in changing a routine. 

No industry gains as much from youth’s ingenuity as the innovation industry. First, elaborate on the importance of developing youth’s scientific and technical skills. Then, look at how schools incorporate science, technology, engineering, and math into the curriculum, starting with your school. To conclude your essay, look at how intensive your government’s programs are in unlocking the inner scientists of today’s youth. 

Youth have the vigor and passion for changing the world. Because of this, they are one of the best groups to tap into for building a better community. To start this essay, look at the ratio of young volunteers to the total number of volunteers in your community. You can check this ratio in other communities and see how active your youth are in volunteer community work compared to others. Then, enumerate interesting practices cities can adopt to attract youth to participate in their programs. 

The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency has reported a 107% annual increase in police reports of young students engaging in cyberattacks in 2020. Dig deeper into this report and find out the main motivations why young offenders would join the dark side in cyberspace. Is it for the millions of bucks or the sense of validation in the hacking community? Then identify some best practices law enforcement authorities and schools are implementing to thwart cybercrime among youth.

Young love has always been defined by its wild passions and adventures. Does this hold today in this digital age? How have relationships evolved in the age of social media? Mull over these questions and look at other modern trends in young love. For example, many claims that internet relationships, where couples meet and interact purely online, constitute true love. 

Celebrated every August 12, International Youth Day (IYD) aims to raise awareness of youth’s pressing challenges. Your essay can revolve around the focus of the last or upcoming celebration theme. Then, reflect on the issue’s relevance and what actions you think society can take to ease the problem. For example, the 2022 IYD is themed “Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages.” This expounds on fostering solidarity across generations to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prevention is always better than cure. In this essay, search for data on youths reportedly battling drug abuse. Highlight an upward trend, if any. Then, highlight the risk factors that lead youth to drug or alcohol abuse and the consequences on health and overall well-being. You may also pay attention to the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s 16 key principles for determining the most suitable prevention programs. 

A research study has found that aside from preventing early pregnancy and the contraction of sexually transmitted diseases, comprehensive sex education helps youth feel safe and achieve success in the long term. Examine these benefits and cite the negative effects of a lack of sex education during youth. Finally, it underscores schools’ critical roles in integrating sex education and protecting students. 

If you need further guidance, check out our essay writing tips . Finally, don’t forget to proofread your essay using the best grammar checkers .

Challenges Facing Children and Youth Today

Introduction.

The problems that affect children and young people today have a diverse and intricate nature since we live in a time of unheard-of technology developments and a quickly shifting socioeconomic landscape. Digital innovation, changing cultural norms, economic inequality, and global upheavals have created new challenges for the younger generation. (Finamore, 2019) This essay examines the complicated issues facing children and teens today and their wide-ranging effects. It also gives intelligent methods to alleviate these issues and create a brighter future.

Technological Onslaught: The Digital Dilemma

The digital revolution has permanently influenced how young people and adolescents interact with the world. Technological advancements have improved education and worldwide connectivity. These benefits come with several obstacles that require careful attention.

Smartphones and fascinating video games have lured kids into sedentary lifestyles. Screen time and decreased physical activity raise worries about long-term health (Finamore, 2019). Virtual interactions often replace face-to-face encounters, compromising social skills needed for efficient communication and relationships.

Cyberbullying and online harassment threaten youth mental health and self-esteem. Digital anonymity can embolden aggressors and worsen victims’ psychological pain. Misinformation spreads rapidly on social media in the digital age (Finamore, 2019). Lack of media literacy instruction hinders critical thinking abilities to distinguish credible sources from sensationalized news.

Multifaceted solutions are needed to combat digital age threats. Balance screen time with physical exercise and offline social connections for holistic well-being. Schools and parents must prioritize comprehensive media literacy instruction to help children and youth manage the information deluge with discernment and scepticism. Cyberbullying prevention, digital empathy, and responsible online behaviour must be developed to mitigate the negative effects of the digital dilemma.

Mental Health Issues: The Silent Epidemic

The rising prevalence of mental health concerns is one of the biggest difficulties facing children and youth today. Academic pressures, cultural expectations, and social media comparisons have caused an alarming rise in anxiety, sadness, and even suicidal tendencies in this age. Mental health stigma might delay treatment. Due to social stigma and a lack of open conversation, people do not seek help. Thus, the misery continues, worsening mental health issues.

Addressing this silent epidemic requires a comprehensive approach. Awareness and education programs must first fight mental health stigma. Normalizing mental health topics helps create a judgment-free environment for seeking help. Mental health education in schools helps kids and teens manage their inner worlds.

Systematic access to mental health resources is crucial. Schools, healthcare providers, and communities can work together to identify struggling individuals and provide professional aid. Children and teens can overcome their internal struggles and live fulfilling lives by promoting mental health and confronting the silent epidemic.

Navigating Learning Paradigms

Technology, employment trends, and pedagogical ideologies are transforming education. Youth must balance standardized testing with overall skill development.

Based on rote memorization and rigid testing, traditional education is being challenged by the need for flexible skills that enable students to succeed in a knowledge-driven environment. Technology has introduced new teaching methods, forcing a reevaluation of traditional methods.

The digital gap hinders educational equity. Unequal access to online learning platforms and resources exacerbates socioeconomic inequities. Governments, educators, and communities must work together to equip marginalized populations with technical infrastructure for effective learning.

Modern education emphasizes critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration. Open-ended inquiry, problem-solving, and interdisciplinary exploration can help children and teens thrive in a complicated, interconnected environment. Rethinking education to include real-world applications can also motivate students.

Identity and Social Pressures

Modern social forces have made identity formation even more complicated. Youths and kids are exposed to unprecedented societal standards and ideals in a hyperconnected world with instantaneous access to information and curated images on social media. This exposure might enrich their thoughts but also cause identity confusion.

For instance, media distortions of body image in young people can lead to low self-esteem, harmful lifestyle choices, and even eating disorders. Pressure to conform to false beauty standards might prevent a healthy self-concept and authentic self-identity.

Cultural diversity and inclusiveness also shape identity. Underrepresented communities may feel excluded and marginalized due to media and educational misrepresentation. Being “othered” can cause identity issues and cultural disconnection.

These issues require an integrated strategy. Families, schools, and communities should promote nonjudgmental discussions about self-identity, body image, and cultural diversity. Inclusive education can teach kids empathy, tolerance, and a sense of belonging. Diverse role models can empower youth to embrace their uniqueness and resist social temptations to conform.

Economic Inequalities: Future Barriers

Economic inequality threatens children’s health and prospects. Education, housing, and healthcare costs have risen dramatically, making this population tougher to rise. Economic disparity reduces access to excellent educational opportunities and cognitive and social development for kids with limited resources.

Economic disparity has far-reaching effects. Poor kids have poor nutrition, constant stress, and little meaningful experiences (rm-admin, 2021). These obstacles hinder cognitive growth, emotional well-being, and generational cycles of disadvantage.

Economic inequality must be addressed holistically. Governments must prioritize education, housing, and healthcare projects. Investing in early childhood education and mentorship programs can help break the cycle of poverty.

 Environmental Concerns: Inheriting a Precarious Planet

Youths and kids inherit environmental issues that affect their health and future. Climate change, environmental deterioration, and ecological catastrophes threaten the earth and mental health.

Young people can develop eco-anxiety when aware of impending environmental issues. Climate change and future uncertainties can lead to a terrible sense of powerlessness and despair. This emotional toll might cause tension, anxiety, and apprehension about their future.

Environmental education and sustainable behaviours are needed to help children and youth face these difficulties. Environmental sustainability in schooling may empower young people (rm-admin, 2021). This must extend beyond the classroom to advocacy for legislative changes and active engagement in eco-friendly programs that empower people to contribute meaningfully to environmental conservation and sustainability efforts.

Urbanization and Disconnection from Nature: Strain on Well-being

In an increasingly urbanized world, children and teens face the difficulty growing up detached from nature. Young people have fewer chances to engage with nature as cities grow. This gap can affect their health and development.

Nature improves mental, emotional, and physical well-being. It offers rest, reflection, and exercise. Green environments lower stress, increase cognition and boost creativity (rm-admin, 2021). As urbanization accelerates, children and youth lose these possibilities.

Lack of nature can cause “nature deficit disorder,” which causes lower attention spans, stress, and well-being. Limited nature exposure may weaken environmental stewardship and ecological interdependence in children.

Integrating nature into urban surroundings and incorporating nature-based education into the curriculum is necessary to address nature’s disconnection. Urban parks, green spaces, and community gardens may connect children and youth to nature. Outdoor learning and environmental education can help link students to nature.

Overexposure to Commercialism: Shaping Consumerist Values

Commercialism and consumerism are significant issues for young people today. Young people are bombarded with advertising and marketing messages that promote materialism and the belief that happiness comes from consumption.

Products are marketed to children and youth as symbols of success, popularity, and happiness. They may consider belongings as a sign of worth due to consumerist pressure. This might lead to self-worth centred on possessions rather than character.

Advertising also promotes rapid gratification when buying new things becomes a routine response to emotional demands. This perspective can prevent patience, delayed satisfaction, and a better understanding of happiness.

Critical media literacy abilities can help children and teens distinguish between actual needs and manufactured desires to combat overexposure to commercialism. Open dialogues about how materialism affects morals and well-being might help them navigate the consumer-driven culture mindfully (rm-admin, 2021). Promoting experiences prioritizing connection, creativity, and personal growth over material items might help them rethink what fulfils them.

The problems that today’s adolescents and young people are dealing with highlight the necessity of a planned and inclusive approach to their general development. Parents, educators, policymakers, and communities must collaborate to assist this generation in navigating the technological whirlwind, mental health issues, shifting educational paradigms, social pressures, economic disparities, urbanization, overexposure to commercialism, and environmental uncertainties.

Society may create a better future with the support of resilience, mental and emotional health, critical thinking, creativity, diversity, economic disparities, and environmental stewardship. By accepting these many challenges as chances for growth and transformation, we inspire kids and teenagers to rise above their circumstances and become compassionate, knowledgeable, and resilient change agents.

By uniting and caring for them, we enable kids and youths to overcome today’s problems and construct a sustainable, inclusive, and hopeful future together. By doing so, we improve the world for the next generations.

Finamore, E. (2019, April 30).  The top 10 challenges facing young people today – apprenticeship news | AllAboutSchoolLeavers . Www.allaboutschoolleavers.co.uk. https://www.allaboutschoolleavers.co.uk/news/article/318/the-top-10-challenges-facing-young-people-today

rm-admin. (2021, January 19).  Understanding the Challenges Young People Face in 2021 and Beyond . Round Midnight. https://www.roundmidnight.org.uk/understanding-the-challenges-young-people-face-in-2021-and-beyond/

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Essay on Problems Faced by Youth Today

Students are often asked to write an essay on Problems Faced by Youth Today in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Problems Faced by Youth Today

Introduction.

Youth today face numerous challenges that shape their lives. These problems range from social, emotional, to economic issues.

Social Problems

The rise of social media has led to problems like cyberbullying and online harassment. It has also increased peer pressure and created unrealistic expectations.

Economic Challenges

Youths struggle with unemployment and the high cost of education. These financial constraints limit their opportunities and growth.

Emotional Issues

Depression and anxiety are common among youth, often due to pressure from society, school, or family. Mental health issues are a significant concern.

250 Words Essay on Problems Faced by Youth Today

The complexity of modern life.

The youth of today face a myriad of challenges, the complexity of which is amplified by the rapid pace of modern life. The digital age has brought about new opportunities, but it has also introduced problems such as cyberbullying and online privacy violations. Young people are constantly exposed to unrealistic standards of beauty and success on social media, leading to a surge in mental health issues like anxiety and depression.

Educational Challenges

In the realm of education, the youth are confronted with an increasingly competitive environment. The pressure to excel acadically is often overwhelming, leading to stress and burnout. Moreover, the traditional education system is struggling to keep pace with the evolving job market, leaving many young people ill-prepared for future careers.

Socioeconomic Disparities

Socioeconomic disparities pose another significant challenge. The wealth gap is widening, and many young people from disadvantaged backgrounds find it difficult to break the cycle of poverty. The lack of access to quality education and healthcare further exacerbates this problem.

Environmental Concerns

Finally, the youth are inheriting a planet fraught with environmental challenges. From climate change to pollution, these issues pose a threat to their future. However, they also present an opportunity for young people to drive change and create a more sustainable world.

In conclusion, while the youth of today face numerous challenges, they also have the potential to overcome these hurdles and shape a better future. It is our collective responsibility to provide them with the necessary tools and support to do so.

500 Words Essay on Problems Faced by Youth Today

Socio-economic challenges.

One of the primary issues young people face today is unemployment. Despite being the most educated generation in history, many young people struggle to find stable, well-paying jobs. This problem is compounded by the rapid automation of jobs and the gig economy, which often offers unstable employment without benefits.

Another socio-economic issue is the increasing cost of education. Higher education, once seen as a sure path to a good job and a comfortable life, is now a significant financial burden for many young people. The rising cost of tuition, coupled with the uncertainty of job prospects after graduation, has put immense pressure on the youth.

Psychological Challenges

Additionally, the fear of failure is a significant psychological challenge. In a world that increasingly values success and perfection, many young people fear making mistakes or failing, which can lead to stress, anxiety, and even mental health issues.

Technological Challenges

The rise of technology presents both opportunities and challenges. On one hand, technology has opened up new avenues for learning, communication, and entertainment. On the other hand, it has also led to problems like cyberbullying, online privacy concerns, and addiction to social media and online gaming.

The challenges faced by youth today are complex and multifaceted. They require concerted efforts from all sectors of society, including government, educators, parents, and the young people themselves, to address. By understanding these challenges, we can develop effective strategies to support the youth and help them navigate these issues. After all, the well-being of our youth is integral to the future of our society.

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Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

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Most in the U.S. say young adults today face more challenges than their parents’ generation in some key areas

About seven-in-ten Americans think young adults today have a harder time than their parents’ generation when it comes to saving for the future (72%), paying for college (71%) and buying a home (70%), according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in October 2021. These findings come at a time when younger Americans are more likely than previous generations to have taken on student debt with tuition costs steadily rising, and to face an affordable housing crisis as rent and housing prices have grown markedly faster than incomes in the last decade.

To learn more about how Americans view the circumstances young adults face across various life measures compared with their parents’ generation, Pew Research Center surveyed 9,676 U.S. adults between Oct. 18-24, 2021. Everyone who took part is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way, nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the  ATP’s methodology .

Here are the questions used for this analysis , along with responses, and  its methodology .

There’s less consensus when it comes to assessing labor market outcomes for young people today compared with their parents’ generation. Similar shares say finding a job is easier (40%) as say it is harder (39%) for young adults today. A smaller share of U.S. adults (21%) say it’s about the same.

When it comes to finding a spouse or partner, Americans are more than twice as likely to say younger adults today have it harder than their parents’ generation (46%) than to say they have it easier (21%). Around a third (32%) say it’s about the same.

On some other measures, Americans are more positive in their assessments of young adults’ circumstances. A significant majority of U.S. adults (74%) say it is easier for younger generations today to stay in touch with family and friends. Only 14% say this is harder for young adults compared with their parents’ generation. A plurality (41%) says getting into college is easier for young adults today compared with their parents’ generation; 33% say it’s harder for young adults today and 26% say it’s about the same.

There are notable age differences when it comes to assessing the circumstances of young adults today.

While majorities across all age groups say young adults have it harder when it comes to buying a home, saving for the future and paying for college, Americans ages 18 to 29 are more likely than older age groups to say this. More than eight-in-ten adults younger than 30 (84%) say buying a home is harder for young adults today, while 80% say the same about saving for the future and paying for college. Among those ages 30 to 49, 72% say buying a home and paying for college is harder for young adults today, and 74% say this about saving for the future. Those 50 and older are the least likely to say these measures are harder for younger generations to reach, with 63% saying this about buying a home, 67% saying this about saving for the future, and 66% saying this about paying for college.

When it comes to finding a job, younger Americans are again the most likely to say this is harder for young adults today. Overall, 55% of 18- to 29-year-olds say finding a job is harder for young adults today than it was for their parents’ generation. About four-in-ten or less of those ages 30 to 49 and those 50 and older say this about young adults (39% and 33%, respectively). There are also double-digit differences between the views of adults younger than 30 and those ages 50 or older when it comes to finding a spouse or partner (52% of 18- to 29-year-olds say this is harder for young adults today vs. 42% in the older group) and getting into college (45% vs. 27%, respectively). In fact, a plurality of adults 50 and older say getting into college is easier today (44%). There are no large differences by age on the measure of staying in touch with family and friends.

Generally, these views differ only modestly by gender, with one exception. On finding a spouse or partner, about half of women (51%) – compared with 40% of men – say this is harder for young adults today than it was for their parents’ generation. This gap is only present among those ages 30 and older; roughly equal shares of women (53%) and men (52%) younger than 30 say this is harder for young adults today. Notably, women in older age groups give similar answers as younger women, while older men are less likely than their younger counterparts to say finding a spouse or partner is harder for young adults today (42% of men 30 to 49 and 34% of men 50 and older say this).

Finally, on most of these measures, there are no significant differences between adults who are parents of children ages 18 to 29 and those who are not. On a few items where such differences exist, they tend to disappear when looking at adults 50 and older. The only item where such differences persist among older adults is on assessments of finding a job. Interestingly, those 50 and older who are parents of adult children ages 18 to 29 are more likely than those in the same age group who do not have young adult children to say young adults today have it easier when it comes to finding a job (47% vs. 42%, respectively).

Note: Here are the questions used for this analysis , along with responses, and  its methodology .

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Stella Sechopoulos is a former research assistant focusing on social and demographic trends research at Pew Research Center .

Methodology: 2023 focus groups of Asian Americans

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Mental health of adolescents

• Globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 13% of the global burden of disease in this age group.
• Depression, anxiety and behavioural disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents.
• Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15-29 year-olds.
• The consequences of failing to address adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults.

Introduction

One in six people are aged 10–19 years. Adolescence is a unique and formative time. Physical, emotional and social changes, including exposure to poverty, abuse, or violence, can make adolescents vulnerable to mental health problems. Protecting adolescents from adversity, promoting socio-emotional learning and psychological well-being, and ensuring access to mental health care are critical for their health and well-being during adolescence and adulthood.

Globally, it is estimated that 1 in 7 (14%) 10–19 year-olds experience mental health conditions (1) , yet these remain largely unrecognized and untreated.

Adolescents with mental health conditions are particularly vulnerable to social exclusion, discrimination, stigma (affecting readiness to seek help), educational difficulties, risk-taking behaviours, physical ill-health and human rights violations.

Mental health determinants

Adolescence is a crucial period for developing social and emotional habits important for mental well-being. These include adopting healthy sleep patterns; exercising regularly; developing coping, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills; and learning to manage emotions. Protective and supportive environments in the family, at school and in the wider community are important.

Multiple factors affect mental health. The more risk factors adolescents are exposed to, the greater the potential impact on their mental health. Factors that can contribute to stress during adolescence include exposure to adversity, pressure to conform with peers and exploration of identity. Media influence and gender norms can exacerbate the disparity between an adolescent’s lived reality and their perceptions or aspirations for the future. Other important determinants include the quality of their home life and relationships with peers. Violence (especially sexual violence and bullying), harsh parenting and severe and socioeconomic problems are recognized risks to mental health.

Some adolescents are at greater risk of mental health conditions due to their living conditions, stigma, discrimination or exclusion, or lack of access to quality support and services. These include adolescents living in humanitarian and fragile settings; adolescents with chronic illness, autism spectrum disorder, an intellectual disability or other neurological condition; pregnant adolescents, adolescent parents, or those in early or forced marriages; orphans; and adolescents from minority ethnic or sexual backgrounds or other discriminated groups.

Emotional disorders

Emotional disorders are common among adolescents. Anxiety disorders (which may involve panic or excessive worry) are the most prevalent in this age group and are more common among older than among younger adolescents. It is estimated that 3.6% of 10–14-year-olds and 4.6% of 15–19-year-olds experience an anxiety disorder. Depression is estimated to occur among 1.1% of adolescents aged 10–14 years, and 2.8% of 15–19-year-olds. Depression and anxiety share some of the same symptoms, including rapid and unexpected changes in mood.

Anxiety and depressive disorders can profoundly affect school attendance and schoolwork. Social withdrawal can exacerbate isolation and loneliness. Depression can lead to suicide.

Behavioural disorders

Behavioural disorders are more common among younger adolescents than older adolescents. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), characterized by difficulty paying attention, excessive activity and acting without regard to consequences, occurs among 3.1% of 10–14-year-olds and 2.4% of 15–19-year-olds (1) . Conduct disorder (involving symptoms of destructive or challenging behaviour) occurs among 3.6% of 10–14-year-olds and 2.4% of 15–19-year-olds (1) . Behavioural disorders can affect adolescents’ education and conduct disorder may result in criminal behaviour.

Eating disorders

Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, commonly emerge during adolescence and young adulthood. Eating disorders involve abnormal eating behaviour and preoccupation with food, accompanied in most instances by concerns about body weight and shape. Anorexia nervosa can lead to premature death, often due to medical complications or suicide, and has higher mortality than any other mental disorder.

Conditions that include symptoms of psychosis most commonly emerge in late adolescence or early adulthood. Symptoms can include hallucinations or delusions. These experiences can impair an adolescent’s ability to participate in daily life and education and often lead to stigma or human rights violations.

Suicide and self-harm

Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in older adolescents (15–19 years) (2) . Risk factors for suicide are multifaceted, and include harmful use of alcohol, abuse in childhood, stigma against help-seeking, barriers to accessing care and access to means of suicide. Digital media, like any other media, can play a significant role in either enhancing or weakening suicide prevention efforts.

Risk-taking behaviours

Many risk-taking behaviours for health, such as substance use or sexual risk-taking, start during adolescence. Risk-taking behaviours can be an unhelpful strategy to cope with emotional difficulties and can severely impact an adolescent’s mental and physical well-being.

Worldwide, the prevalence of heavy episodic drinking among adolescents aged 15­–19 years was 13.6% in 2016, with males most at risk (3) .

The use of tobacco and cannabis are additional concerns. Many adult smokers had their first cigarette prior to the age of 18 years. Cannabis is the most widely used drug among young people with about 4.7% of 15–16-years-olds using it at least once in 2018 (4) .

Perpetration of violence is a risk-taking behaviour that can increase the likelihood of low educational attainment, injury, involvement with crime or death. Interpersonal violence was ranked among the leading causes of death of older adolescent boys in 2019 (5) .

Promotion and prevention

Mental health promotion and prevention interventions aim to   strengthen an individual's capacity to regulate emotions, enhance alternatives to risk-taking behaviours, build resilience for managing difficult situations and adversity, and promote supportive social environments and social networks.

These programmes require a multi-level approach with varied delivery platforms –   for example, digital media, health or social care settings, schools or the community – and varied strategies to reach adolescents, particularly the most vulnerable.

Early detection and treatment

It is crucial to address the needs of adolescents with mental health conditions. Avoiding institutionalization and over-medicalization, prioritizing non-pharmacological approaches, and respecting the rights of children in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and other human rights instruments are key for adolescents’ mental health.

WHO response

WHO works on strategies, programmes and tools to assist governments in responding to the health needs of adolescents.

For example, the Helping Adolescents Thrive (HAT) Initiative is a joint WHO-UNICEF effort to strengthen policies and programmes for the mental health of adolescents. More specifically, the efforts made through the Initiative are to promote mental health and prevent mental health conditions. They are also intended to help prevent self-harm and other risk behaviours, such as harmful use of alcohol and drugs, that have a negative impact on the mental  ̶  and physical  ̶  health of young people.

WHO has also developed a module on Child and Adolescent Mental and Behavioural Disorders as part of the mhGAP Intervention Guide 2.0. This Guide  provides evidence-based clinical protocols for the assessment and management of a range of mental health conditions in non-specialized care settings.

Furthermore, WHO is developing and testing scalable psychological interventions to address emotional disorders of adolescents, and guidance on mental health services for adolescents.

WHO’s Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean has developed a mental health training package for educators for improved understanding of the importance of mental health in the school setting and to guide the implementation of strategies to promote, protect and restore mental health among their students. It includes training manuals and materials to help scale up the number of schools promoting mental health.

(1)  Institute of health Metrics and Evaluation. Global Health Data Exchange (GHDx)

(2) WHO Global Health Estimates 2000-2019

(3) Global status report on alcohol and health 2018

(4) World Drug Report 2020  

(5) 2019 Global Health Estimates (GHE), WHO, 2020

Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2030 

Guidelines on promotive and preventative mental health interventions for adolescents

Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) Intervention Guide 2.0

LIVE LIFE: an implementation guide for suicide prevention in countries

Mental health in schools: a manual 

Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health 2016–2030

Improving the mental and brain health of children and adolescents

Youth in Politics: Challenges, Importance, Role (Essay and Debate)

Political participation: overview and faced challenges

“Where few take part in decisions there is little democracy; the more participation there is in decisions, the more democracy there is” (Verba & Nie, 1972). The present statement proves that the political presence of different individuals has a huge impact on democracy and policy. Hence, the present article will attempt to tackle the political participation of youth in the field of politics.

What is youth political participation?

Must the youth participate in politics.

Youth constitute a large portion of the population in every community. Consequently, it is imperative to give them a voice and include them in political decision-making. Not only is inclusiveness “a fundamental political and democratic right” but it is also “crucial to building stable and peaceful societies and developing policies that respond to the specific needs of younger generations.”(Goudie et al, 2018).

According to the OECD’s guide, many benefits can come from “putting youth at the heart of the government’s strategies and initiatives”:

Bárta (2021) points out that there are four main aims of youth political participation:

Obstacles to youth in politics

According to The ACE Electoral Knowledge Network website, youth political engagement occurs at several levels and in various contexts, namely on structural, individual, and organizational levels:

On the structural level, the following elements are included: age requirements to vote or run for office, age restriction in campaigning in some countries, lack of political finance, Social and cultural traditions, and women’s discrimination based on their age and gender.

On the organizational level, there is limited data on youth political participation and a lack of an exclusive EMB youth policy and sustainable funding.

Meaningful political participation

Also referred to as ‘effective practice or participation’, meaningful political participation is a concept with many definitions across the literature. However, the following aspects are common in most definitions according to Bárta et al (2021):

Information and communication : in order to achieve favourable results, young people should have access to the latest information at all times. This fosters their knowledge and hones their awareness about different matters. The implementation of youth-focused conferences, workshops and other capacity-building formats can also facilitate a great deal achieve meaningful political participation.

Authority and voice: giving young people the authority to express their ideas and thoughts publicly is not enough. Other stakeholders in political involvement procedures must also hear and respect their voices.

Power sharing : young people should also have the opportunity where they can actively participate in decision-making processes alongside stakeholders. This obviously should be executed in a transparent environment to attain efficiency.

Material and non-material support : no matter what their background, status, gender, or identity, young people should be able to participate freely and safely. They should also feel welcomed and appreciated during their political activities. Stakeholders should also recognise their efforts and engage them.

So, what is the role of youth in politics after all?

According to the Palestinian News and Info Agency ( Wafa ), conforming to democratic standards, young people are to fulfil their role in politics as follows:

To conclude, creating a legitimate, accountable, democratic system requires parity of the political presence of its members. The more all parties in society are involved in the political aspects, the more the country will strive. Young people, who make up an important party usually in countries, play a huge role in the future of politics. Not only do they come up with innovative solutions, but also one can notice a number of positive outcomes such as enhanced social skills, better conduct, higher academic performance, higher self-esteem, and higher self-efficacy. As a result, it is time for decision-makers to act in order to involve the youth in policy-making, enabling them to participate meaningfully.

Bárta, O. et al (2021). Meaningful Youth Political Participation In Europe: Concepts, Patterns And Policy Implications. Council of Europe and European Commission.

A business journal from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

How Youth Can Help Solve the World’s Toughest Problems

March 30, 2018 • 15 min read.

Innovative ideas from young people are driving the successful targeting of poverty, hunger, climate change and health issues.

The World Bank's Mahmoud Mohieldin and Wharton senior fellow Djordjija Petkoski look at how strategic partnerships and innovative ideas from young people are playing a crucial role in tackling global issues.

Strategic partnerships and innovative ideas from young people are playing a crucial role in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015 with the ambitious aim to end poverty and hunger, reduce inequality and tackle climate change. In a conversation with Knowledge at Wharton, Mahmoud Mohieldin, senior vice president for the 2030 Development Agenda, United Nations Relations, and Partnerships at the World Bank Group, and Djordjija Petkoski, a senior fellow at the Zicklin Center for Business Ethics Research at Wharton, discuss why programs such as Ideas for Action , a joint initiative of the World Bank Group and the Zicklin Center, are important tools to engage young people in development issues.

An edited transcript of the conversation follows.

Knowledge at Wharton: Mahmoud, where do things stand in terms of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

Mahmoud Mohieldin: If you measure it by the number of presentations and submissions to the United Nations System through ministers of finance and development, it is on the increase. Many more countries have committed to presenting their plans for the 2030 agenda this year. That will bring the total of submissions and presentations to more than 110 countries. That’s more than half of the membership of the U.N., which is 193 countries.

If you look at the practical level — at how many countries have done better in terms of designing their own national plans, designing their own budgets to deal with the SDGs — I would say not all of those who submitted have done that. There is always a difference between what’s actually happening and the official presentations and the measure of that is how many countries have incorporated the SDGs in their budgets. You will be surprised to see that only a very small number of countries have done that so far. The justification could be that it’s only the third year since the launching of the SDGs, that some of the lines of business are continuing, but without naming or renaming them under the new SDGs. But coming from a finance institution, we take matters more seriously when we see that government plans are reflected in their budget priorities.

The third level, which is more important than the other two, is the local level. To what extent have you seen improvements in people’s lives, or in the policies and institutions addressing their concerns since the launch of the SDGs in 2015? The SDGs are about more inclusive growth, better social development, and better consideration for environment and climate change issues. Again, not all countries have done that at the local level.

“Coming from a finance institution, we take matters more seriously when we see that government plans are reflected in their budget priorities.” –Mahmoud Mohieldin

There are some good, bright cases. I was in Colombia recently and saw good progress there. There are other Latin American countries, including Mexico, which have taken this issue seriously. There are countries in the East, like China, Vietnam, Korea and Japan, which have good investments in the connection between the central level and the local level. India has done well on that front, as well. In Africa, there are many issues that are constraining governments, but countries like Rwanda are doing very well. This doesn’t mean that others are not doing well. I’m trying to give examples of exceptional progress in terms of the commitment of the leadership and translating this commitment into localized solutions.

Knowledge at Wharton: Are you happy with the progress until now?

Mohieldin: It depends on the performance at the country level. It’s not my happiness but the people’s happiness that matters here. If there is improvement at the local level, if people are more engaged, and if one can see better impact on reduction of poverty, improvement on health and education services, and the rest of the 17 goals, every development agency and its staff like me are happy with the progress.

Knowledge at Wharton: Djordjija, one of the initiatives that you and the Zicklin Center have been collaborating on with the World Bank Group and other partners is Ideas for Action, which is a way to inspire young people to come up with ideas to make the SDGs a reality. How is that program coming along?

Djordjija Petkoski : Last year we were surprised because we doubled the proposals. This year we tripled the proposals. This clearly demonstrates tremendous interest from young people to be part of this process, to own the process, and at the same time, to come up with actionable ideas. What Mahmoud was referring to is that the government is signaling commitment to these issues, but the implementation will not happen just because the government engages. You have to engage the private sector. You have to engage young entrepreneurs. And that is what we want to do. In addition to students, we have young entrepreneurs and young professionals. They are not only putting pressure, they are also making the CEOs of their companies comfortable that they have young people working for them who can come up with innovative ideas.

We have over 2,100 proposals. The number of teams was four times higher than that. We had examples of business associations like the German-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce which utilized the network of companies to engage the young professionals to generate ideas. In Eastern Europe, a pharmaceutical company called Hemofarm used this as a platform not only to generate ideas to make itself more sustainable, but also to communicate to the government that corporations can get engaged if they have additional and critical knowledge of how to deal with these issues.

Knowledge at Wharton: What are some of the reasons that drove this increase in participation?

Petkoski: I think it’s the philosophy of the program — that it is not just about competition. It is a platform for learning, a platform for exchanging knowledge and for building critical local partnerships. We have made some major breakthroughs, for example in Egypt, and that was driven by the Ideas for Action Egypt Club. A major breakthrough in Nigeria was driven by the Ideas for Action African Club.

Knowledge at Wharton: Mahmoud, how does the Ideas for Action program fit in with what you and the World Bank are trying to achieve with the SDGs?

Mohieldin: One of the main things that came out from the U.N. discussions on the SDGs and one of the main things that we are pushing at the Bank is the issue of partnerships. It’s one of the goals of the Sustainable Development Agenda. In our case, it’s about how to rely on our own competitive advantage when it comes to finance or knowledge, but realizing as well that others have their own competitive advantages in their fields. For example, partnership with Wharton as a place of excellence for knowledge and academia, partnerships with the business sector, partnerships with young people who have their own ideas and their own ways of challenging the status quo.

“Implementation will not happen just because the government engages. You have to engage the private sector. You have to engage young entrepreneurs.” — Djordjija Petkoski

The Ideas for Action initiative actually started from here. I was invited by Djordjija four years ago to one of his classes. Based on the exchange of ideas and discussions, I called him on my way back to Washington, D.C., and said, “Why don’t we start having all of these ideas deinstitutionalized rather than having them come out from a seminar or a lecture? Let’s not limit it to Wharton. Let’s make it a big platform.” And so the idea developed. This is the fourth year. We have thousands of participants from around the world, from more than 120 countries, coming with their proposals.

Knowledge at Wharton: Do you think that it is primarily the developing countries that should be focusing on the SDGs, or is this also something for the developed countries to focus on?

Mohieldin: The main thing about the SDGs, in comparison to its predecessor the MDGs or the Millennium Development Goals which ended in 2015, is that the previous goals were mainly focusing on the developing countries, on human development. They had only eight goals. The new and the more challenging aspect of the SDGs is its universality. They are addressing the challenges in the poorest of the countries as well as the challenges of progress and maintaining what you have and improving on it in the most advanced of the economies.

Knowledge at Wharton: Djordjija, how do you select which are the best ideas that should be focused on and prioritized?

Petkoski: Those who make the selections are very motivated to do it. It’s an opportunity for them to understand the ground realities. People from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) or the World Bank who select the projects in a particular country get a pretty clear idea of what, from young people’s perspectives, are priorities for these countries. There are different layers of selection, and in each layer the young people get feedback on how to improve their proposals. So it’s a mutual learning process. The final proposals end up in the book which is published by the World Bank. So, yes, the selection takes time. But if you don’t look at it as a mechanical process, but as a process of learning and providing feedback for those who are participating, it’s very fulfilling.

Knowledge at Wharton: How do you see the role of innovation, and science and technology in the implementation of the SDGs and also in the ideas that are proposed through initiatives like Ideas for Action?

Mohieldin: The STI, or science, technology and innovation, were included in the documents of Addis [Addis Ababa Action Agenda], which are basically the documents relating to the implementation of the SDGs. There is a full chapter on that. Addis happened in July 2015. But because of the fast changes that are happening in the areas of science and technology and innovation, and the discussions about the implications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, if you were to write this chapter today, it would be completely different in terms of how to handle it, the kinds of partnerships required. In the Addis Agenda, it would seem that it was primarily the responsibility of the government — perhaps to partner with centers of excellence and the private sector. In reality, you can see who is driving the change. Yes, government is involved in different aspects. It can incubate and support and give a good platform for the flourishing of new ideas and better technological solutions. But it is the private sector businesses and academia which are behind all of these new ideas.

I think rather than dealing with STI as a separate sector, it should be mainstreamed and integrated in every aspect of work, including how to get better data by using big data solutions and other means to get better evidence of what works and what doesn’t work. In finance, we must consider how we look at the use of technology — mobile money, crowdfunding, new technologies like blockchain with its good and as well as controversial outcomes. Or, how can technology enable a hospital or a clinic in a remote village to get the best ideas and solutions in health care from the U.S.?

Knowledge at Wharton: Djordjija, from your perspective of the Ideas for Action program, how do you see the role of academic institutions in making these kinds of initiatives successful?

Petkoski: Let me step back before directly answering that question. Recently, the Zicklin Center organized an event related to blockchain. There was an interesting presentation from a colleague from MIT who said, “Most of the destructive innovations in this space come from people between 24 and 28 years old.” So you ask the question, “What kind of education did they get before they got there?”

“Rather than dealing with science and technology and innovation as a separate sector, it should be mainstreamed and integrated in every aspect of work.” –Mahmoud Mohieldin

I think from an academic perspective we have at least two challenges. One is to go beyond the traditional boundaries, because in the space of blockchain you see people from the technology side and also lawyers to make sure that they don’t get in trouble. But business people are not there. I would argue that there is a disconnect between the most exciting technological solutions and the real needs on the ground that they can address. I think that Silicon Valley is already feeling it. There are no major new ideas coming from there because there is no major change in terms of identifying the problems that can be handled.

On the academia side, one big benefit of this whole initiative is that while we capture the reality on the ground, we also get an understanding of what are the gaps in terms of knowledge and skills that these young people face when they deal with these ground realities. For academics, identifying these gaps is a good reminder that they need to be more focused and careful about how we are preparing the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs.

Knowledge at Wharton: Mahmoud, could you share your thoughts on how innovation and science and technology cannot only empower women, but also bring about greater gender parity around the world?

Mohieldin: The problems related to inequality, discrepancy and unfairness against women are not just in the developing countries, but in many of the advanced economies as well. One of the new initiatives that we are trying to develop and launch during the spring meetings of the World Bank and the IMF in April this year is to link the SDGs to women entrepreneurs. The program is called SDGs and Her. It is in partnership with the Zicklin Center and the Wharton Business School, and with the U.N. System, through the participation of the United Nations Development Programme, U.N. Women, a variety of economic commissions of the U.N. System and the business sector.

We are focusing on the roles of women as entrepreneurs and how through their own micro-enterprises they are investing their time, their efforts and their talents in order to bring some solutions to the poverty of their families and the poverty of their neighborhoods.

Knowledge at Wharton: Djordjija, how would this fit in with the work that you’re already doing for Ideas for Action? Where would you like to see this initiative go?

Petkoski: There is a tremendous complementarity because many proposals we receive are from young girls and women. Also, through this engagement, we would like to utilize [Ideas for Action] not just as a competition for good ideas or for recognizing women who have been successful so far, but also for utilizing the resources that Wharton and other academic institutions have — to provide a platform where they can better equip themselves to take a leadership role.

You cannot separate the fact that women are not equally paid — in parallel we have to address: Are they equally equipped? Do they have an opportunity to get access to knowledge that will make them more creative and more productive? And it’s not just about the women, it’s about their families, about encouraging their daughters to get in this space. So, from our perspective, this is something we would like to take up strongly.

Knowledge at Wharton: Over the next 12 to 24 months, how would you like Ideas for Action and the SDGs and Her initiative to progress, and what contribution would you like to see them make to the SDGs around the world?

Mohieldin: Next year will be the fifth year for Ideas for Action, so we hope for more progress in terms of both quantity and quality. We are happy with the enormous progress in quantity, and we hope to reach not just the 120 plus countries, but the whole membership of the World Bank and the U.N. System.

We are also very much impressed by the quality. We need more in terms of having ideas that can become workable and scalable solutions. Regarding SDGs and Her, while it is following in the good footsteps of the Ideas for Action, given the importance of the role of women — especially young women — and micro-enterprises in the economy, we need to see a big start for this initiative.

Petkoski : I would like to go beyond the heroic entrepreneurs, people who have changed the world, solved global problems. We would like to see more progress at the local level, initiatives which are driven at the local level, solving specific local problems, because that will be a key contribution to solving the bigger problems.

What I’m really after is more in terms of implementation, and through that implementation, shaping the ecosystem inside the country, and even below the local level, so that more ideas — not necessarily generated through Ideas for Action — have a chance to succeed.

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Essay on Youth for Students and Children

500+ words essay on youth.

Youth is a worthwhile phase of one’s life. The age where the age group is no longer of a child but yet to turn out to be a grown-up is the youth age. It is an age recognized by traits of heroism, toughness, muscle, stimulation, curiosity, judgmental attitude and even much more. At this stage, even though driven by fantasy or freedom and the power to choose his or her response, all must be cautiously exercised. It is a golden phase to accomplish the dual goals of intelligence and character.

A Period of Stress & Strain, Storm & Strife

Youth, in the present era, is a powerful asset of the nation possessing the abundant energy and the zeal considered necessary for the overall advancement of the same. Youth is a critical age of development, a period of uncertainty when everything is in ferment.

As a Youth is neither a child nor an adult, the personality possesses a mixture of both stages. He can be selfish at some times or turn out to be selfless the very next day. He may also turn out to be rebellious one day.

Youth develops a revolting personality and thus we can see conflicts in opinions between the family. It is also a major cause of worsening of family relations. Youth, being argumentative in nature, develop an attitude of apt rationale and judgment.

Thus, it denies accepting as true in anything without an appropriate cause following the same. It is not that there is no lack of moral awakening or his total refusal to adhere to ethical and moral standards. It is merely that he wants his every question to be answered and having his quest fulfilled, he accepts the same.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

How to channelize Youth Power in the right direction?

Youth is full of strength and intellectual capability, which if properly utilized could assist in turning the invisible into visible, the hardships to triumph and the hard work to success thus leading to the overall growth of an individual and the nation at large.

Following measures must be adapted to turn the youth into prolific individuals:

• Understanding child psychology by the parents at this stage.
• Proper guidance by the teachers
• Practical representation of best ideals and values to foster moral education in the schools. Sex education is a must for better emotional development.
• Minimizing the habit of excessive control and strict discipline so as to promote the expression of emotions, thus leading to suitable mental development.
• The organization of extra-curricular activities to channelize the imagination in youth towards creative activities.
• Preparing the youth for the cause of society by entrusting the responsibility so as to develop a feeling of responsibility in them.
• A right and rationale attitude towards democracy should be developed in the surroundings. This would lead to develop the philosophy of life.

  Conclusion

Youth is the golden period to cherish a big dream full of passion and energy. Although, the period is also full of adventures yet they have to be looked for with the eyes open. It is the time when we can provide shape to our ideas for the economic development of society. By encouraging to take an active part in the dramas, projects, sports and others are pretty good ways to control excessive fantasy. Also, it is the time to move towards the destination which can be made possible through vocational awareness and critical study of individual differences.

Mixed with responsibility and fun, new environs, excitement, thrill, applauses, and regrets, it has a huge significance in one’s life. It is time to achieve wisdom in addition to knowledge.

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Essay on Problem Youth

Most people link the period between childhood and teenage years with innocence and pureness. On the other hand, individuals view youths and young adults as delinquent, troublesome, and deviant. When individuals become youths, they tend to divert from society’s rules, laws, and norms. In today’s modern world, youths are increasingly associated with various problems and challenges. These include; participating in group or individual violence, mass unemployment, sexually transferred disease or infections, drug abuse, early pregnancy, immature parenthood, and abortion. It is indeed a fact that youths are the most vulnerable and fragile in the community. Historically, youths have been known to be susceptible to hostility, aggression, and crimes. However, there’s a drastic change in urban youth violence, observed from various acts performed in recent years. Unlike past violence, urban youths are experimenting with various forms of crimes. These include; robbery, rioting, looting, assault, arson, and even murder. The cause of such behavior is unemployment, poverty, racial conflicts, economic disparities, and social exclusion. Violent riots that erupted in various parts of London in the year 2011 is proof of problematic youths. The protest that extended from the 6 th  to 11 th  of August wounded many killed some, and destroyed public and private properties. The formation of gangs, organized mobs, and the use of social media to mobilize youths indicates a new form of youth violence. This paper aims to discuss how the 2011 summer riots in London and other parts of the United Kingdom (UK) indicated a disturbing new pattern of urban youth violence about the historical representation of problem youth.

Muncie claims that the declining economic status of the country contributed to youth violence. He quotes, “A growing number of children, therefore, were fundamentally displaced and, within such adverse social and economic conditions, gravitated towards delinquent activities and acquisitive forms of petty crimes in order to survive” (Muncie, 2014, pp. 51). Similarly, those who participated in the 2011 riots in London partly did it as a survival mechanism. The series of violent riots in different streets included mass looting and stealing (Howe & Seymour, 2021). This kind of behavior among urban youth symbolizes lack of jobs, money, and basic needs. However, the country’s criminal law has a specific consideration for what constitutes a crime and what doesn’t. In most cases, youth violence, for example, joyriding, vandalism, or hooliganism, is not entirely recognized by the state as a criminal offense. Yet, the recent riots have shown a distressing new pattern of violence by modern youths. They have taken violence to a whole new level, with the destruction of the community, its people, and the delicate fabric that holds society together. These movements and riots happening across the countries is an indication of the problematic youths in the nation. The August event reveals an emotional instability and a rapid shift in the youths’ intensity of violence. This occurrence saw the destruction of numerous homes and public properties, injury of many innocent people, and even death.

The topic of youth is a new construct that came up in the 19 th  century. Many literature writings, media, news, music, and films portray youths as wicked, disruptive, and deviant. Psychologists assert that youths transitioning to adulthood tend to experience emotional instability or turmoil (McCallion, 2018). During this period, they don’t understand themselves or the world around them. As a result, most will make immoral, uninformed, and unethical decisions that can ruin their lives and future. Moreover, their actions can negatively affect their families, friends, and other people around them The Victorian community represents childhood as an innocent stage, whereby they train, instruct, and protect them (Gunter, 2017). Society does not allow the child to be independent, free, or autonomous. However, they reinforce that early labour problems manifest in disordered leisure, which causes youth mobs or gangs. Gunter postulates that black problem youth arise from the stipulation that color is relatively liked to poverty and gang violence (Gunter, 2017). Similarly, the beginning of industrialization was a growing concern for the general public and society at large. Most people perceive urban cities, especially the black-dominated cities, as breeding grounds for delinquency, indiscipline, and chaos. The new wave of youth violence experienced in today’s modern world is much more evolved than before. Unlike the Victorian boy-child labor cause, a wave of unemployment has turned youths into petty criminals. Without a productive or constructive occupation to keep them busy, the young men and women have extra time to engage in unlawful activities. The 2011 riots recorded lootings in several parks, indicating the youth’s alarming poverty level (Howe & Seymour, 2021). Thus, the country’s lack of employment opportunities has turned productive youths into an unruly and violent mob.

Racial discrimination was and is still prevalent in the country. Blacks face numerous stereotypes that place them in disadvantaged positions. The colored youths face unfair treatment in the community and the criminal justice system, compared to their white counterparts. Historically, African Americans, Hispanic, and colored groups received special consideration or attention based on their skin colour. Gunter indicates that most of the population link black youths to drugs, crime, or violent gang groups (Gunter, 2017). According to him, institutionalized racism is the leading cause of discrimination and marginalization in the community today. These widely spread stereotypical thinking has triggered fear in public, creating a notion or belief that black youths are dangerous and a problem to society. Likewise, London’s recent violence is a response to racial conflicts and tension that grasped the country. The shooting of Mark Duggan, an Irish man of African Caribbean descent, spiked the riots that lasted for six days (“ Riots in Tottenham after Mark Duggan shooting the protest ,” 2021). Police officers wrongfully suspected Duggan in their investigation of gun possession and crime among the black society. His murder is among the many racial killings reported over the years in the United Kingdom. However, judgments based on race affiliation is in most cases, including this, is wrong or misleading. These proceedings reveal a new pattern of youth violence that cuts across racial boundaries. Black or colored youths are no longer satisfied with the little recognition they get. As such, most resort to violence to fight for equal treatment, opportunities, and proper acknowledgment.

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram are useful in facilitating communication, disseminating information, and sharing important news. The use of such mediums is quite popular among teenagers and youths, as compared to older adults. Most people pour out their frustration, challenges, problems, achievements, and even their daily activities on these sites. However, the power of modern technology should not be underestimated. It can be used to improve an individual’s daily operations but also to destroy people’s lives. Tripathi posits that young people usually find themselves attracted to or intrigued by propagating violence through various social media accounts (Tripathi, 2017). Similarly, youths use numerous mediums of technology to mobilize other people to acts of violence. The technology today is much more advanced than it was before. Therefore, information can be distributed to a mass number of people within seconds. For example, the participants of the August London riots planned their activities through mobile phones. The media also reported that looters used BlackBerry messenger to organize their robbery activities and alert each other of their operations (Howe & Seymour, 2021). Apart from this, individuals used Twitter accounts to recount the events and share their views about the violent march. Violence is perpetrated in the street and initiated and cultured through the media (Irwin-Rogers & Pinkney, 2017). This shows a worrying new pattern of urban youth violence in the county and the respective communities.

Youth’s behaviors, actions, and attitudes have historically attracted the eye and attention of police officers, media, and policy-makers. It is a fact that the ‘problem’ youth concept is closely associated with a moral panic history. There is an alarming fear which concerns the working and poor youth groups in the country. The issue of youth governance and proposed social policies has attracted varied opinions from the past to the present day. Gunter argues that some people see the social policy welfare for youths as the country’s attempt to pacify and neutralize impoverished young adults (Gunter, 2010). This move will ensure that the state’s political, economic, and social spheres remain calm and stable. On the other hand, some believe that the initiatives implemented during the 1970s aimed at reducing conflicts and riots amidst the youths’ high unemployment rate (Gunter, 2010). Seal and Harris define youth violence as the “Physically, psychologically, socially, and materially damaging behavior that is exerted by, or against children and young people” (Seal & Harris, 2016, pp. 23). Therefore, according to them, youth work is a social policy that can combat youth violence in society. The high unemployment rate in London might be a factor in the 2011 violent riots. The country’s population is rapidly increasing, causing a strain in the business world. Therefore, creating enough jobs for the state’s youth can be a long-time solution for the uncouth behavior observed in recent years.

Urban deterioration and social or communal exclusion are the leading causes of anti-social actions and behaviors. The social and economic imbalance within the society has led to sporadic violent riots by youths. The brutal force witnessed in the recent violent acts in London’s streets shows a relatively new disturbing form or pattern of youth violence. The attacks took place in various cities, symbolizing the universality of problem youth. Similarly, Siham & Faiza say, “Just like the problem of violence in general, youth violence is not unique to a specific region or country, but it is considered as a global public health problem” (Siham & Faiza, 2017, pp. 37). They indicate that community circles, various societal aspects, individual personalities, and broken relationships shape troubled youth adults and stimulate youth violence. Furthermore, Siham & Faiza claim a 148% increase in youth violence between 1984 and 1994 (Siham & Faiza, 2017, pp. 35). Since then, youth violence has become a rising problem in the country, with more young men committing homicide, robbery, arson, and riots. In today’s context, the rioters from the 2011 violent eruptions insisted that government and societal exclusions are the cause of the uproar (Howe & Seymour, 2021). Most state heads do not create time to listen to their country’s youth. As such, they feel like the only way the state will hear their concern over societal, political, and economic challenges is through a systematic aggressive approach.

Even though youth violence is a nation-wide problem, people view young girls or women as a lesser threat to the country. Studies indicate sexual tension and arousal spark violent tendencies among youths (Muncie, 2014). Since women are not strongly governed or controlled by their sexual urges or drive, they rarely participate in violent orchestrations. This is because women’s inherent desire to continue their responsive families’ lineage encourages them to make informed decisions. While most men spent hours contemplating destructive thoughts, young girls usually think about maintaining a fertile menstruation circle for future fertility and productivity. Apart from this, women tend to concentrate and direct all their attention to current beauty standards and trends. As such, the female gender representation in violence is relatively low compare to men’s rate. Historical accounts attribute this low turn-out to their obedient nature and biological responsibility as caretakers (Muncie, 2014). Besides, although only a small number of girls are juveniles, they also exhibit problematic behaviors that are alarming. For example, they may leave their homes or commit small acts of crime, such as robbery or assault. Moreover, social media influence urban young girls, deceiving them into violence and deviant behaviors. Most of the youth’s violent movements in the past and recent years report more male criminals than females. However, the August violence registered a new structure of youth violence as more women participants showed up for the riots (Howe & Seymour, 2021). Nevertheless, male youths still record a higher number of delinquents and juveniles than females in this modern society.

As earlier mentioned, youth violence involves force by the youth against other people in the community. This violence cuts across various acts such as; robbery, physical and verbal assault, gun shooting, and even murder. Studies indicate that most youth violence occurs in mob formation (Smirnov, 2017). This is because most young adults exhibit a degree of confidence when they act as a large group. Put, the higher the number of offenders, the lesser the guilt streak. Although similar to gang operations, youth mob violence is different since the individuals act out of their own will and not that of the group. Nevertheless, this pattern of youth violence has threatened society’s peace and the whole country’s wellbeing. In the recent past, youths have recorded the highest number of mob violence, public destruction, and mob murder. The London riots have shown a new trend in youth violence by executing innocent people by youth mob justice. Smirnov states that mob justice cannot be justice because it violates the human right to life (Smirnov, 2017). Moreover, youths engrossed in violent riots would not hesitate to eliminate opposing forces. Therefore, in the heat of the moment, they voluntarily or accidentally cause harm to nonparticipating citizens. Among the deaths recorded during the 2011 riots include individuals who tried to reason with the angry mob (Howe & Seymour, 2021). This new wave of youth violence significantly threatens the community and those residing there.

In conclusion, from the arguments above, it is evident that youth violence poses a threat to the community and the country. Problem youth is a construct that was not widely studied until the 19 th  century. From the readings of various texts, youth violence has exhibited new patterns and trends over the years. Factors such as unemployment, poverty, and economic disparities have induced youth violence. Rapid urbanization has led to more youths accumulating in urban centers, which caused many to be unemployed. This phenomenon has led many down the path of self-destruction and involvement in delinquent behaviors. The racialization of youth crime has created problems in the country to date. Most people associate colored youths with gang groups and violent activities. As a result, many individuals have innocently suffered because of this stereotype. The 2011 London riots were a protest against the wrongful murder of a man of color. This represents a new wave of youth violence, which is a product of racism and discrimination. Also, the practice of social exclusion has caused youth violence across the country. The youths feel inclined to resort to violence for their voices to be heard. Thus, the London August riots indicate this new violence pattern, which threatens the nation’s stability. Historically, young girls or women exhibit a low rate of violence than young men. Although this is true today, more women are boldly participating in violent and aggressive acts. Perhaps the most disturbing pattern of youth violence from the London riots is the power of technology in violence. Today’s modern youths use various social media platforms to perpetrate violence and horrendous activities. Overall, Youth violence poses a grave threat to people’s safety and the country’s social, political, and economic structure.

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Gunter, A. (2017). Race, gangs, and youth violence: Policy, prevention, and policing. Policy Press.

Howe, D., & Seymour, R. (2021). Over 1,000 Arrested in U.K. as Anger over Inequality, Racism Boils Over into “Insurrection”. Democracy Now! Retrieved 1 January 2021, from  https://www.democracynow.org/2011/8/10/over_1_000_arrested_in_uk .

Irwin-Rogers, K., & Pinkney, C. (2017). Social media as a catalyst and trigger for youth violence. Catch-22.

McCallion, C. (2018). Youth in transition.  Child and Youth Mental Health in Canada :  Cases from Front-Line Settings , 243.

Muncie, J. (2014). Youth and crime. Sage.

Riots in Tottenham after Mark Duggan shooting protest . BBC News. (2021). Retrieved 1 January 2021, from  https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-14434318 .

Seal, M., & Harris, P. (2016). Responding to youth violence through youth work. Policy Press.

Siham, S., & Faiza, P. S. (2017). IS YOUTH VIOLENCE PURELY AN AMERICAN PROBLEM? European Journal of Research in Social Sciences Vol, 5(4).

Smirnov, A. M. (2017). Mob justice in adolescence and youth. Sociological Studies, 6(6), 108-116.

Tripathi, V. (2017). Youth violence and social media. Journal of Social Sciences, 52(1-3), 1-7.

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The community fed up with youth crime — and the warnings against 'reckless' solutions

By Jason Whittaker

Topic: Government and Politics

Residents of Melbourne's outer south-east tell Q+A they're in fear of a rise in crimes committed by young people.

Local MP Julian Hill says the data is a "mixed story" and worries about young people in the community being stigmatised.

What's next?

The Victorian government has a youth justice bill before parliament to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 12.

Jamel Kaur Singh was overseas when her car was quietly driven out of her garage in Melbourne's outer south-east.

"Young kids broke into the house and took all the keys for the cars and decided my Mercedes was a good one to take away with them," she said.

"These areas are constantly being targeted by youth crime. Shop owners are in fear."

Jamel was not the only one at Dandenong's Drum Theatre on Monday night concerned about crime — the ABC's Q+A was inundated with questions on a topic that's been running hot in local media and in many communities around the country.

But Q+A also heard pleas from one local politician about "stigmatising my community" and from a youth leader worried about the impact of so many negative headlines.

And there were warnings from advocates and lawyers that a "tough on crime" approach would only fuel more crime.

Jamel — an educator, consultant and mother of two living in Eumemmerring — is standing as an independent in City of Casey council elections, so concerned is she by crime in the community.

She asked: "Why are parents not being held accountable for their kids' actions? Why are kids not being taught consequences?"

Suzy Baddock, another long-time local, said it's time to get tough.

"There is always an excuse for it," she said.

"When are governments and the authorities going to stop the excuse-making for law breakers and start imposing serious consequences for actions?"

Youth crime in Victoria jumped 30 per cent year-on-year in annual data released in March .

"Victoria is largely a very safe state but we have got significant issues with child offending," Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton told the ABC then, citing social media and the quest for notoriety as one cause.

In Greater Dandenong, offending rates were up 32 per cent among kids aged 10 to 17 — but down 25 per cent in the 18-24 cohort.

Solutions can't be 'reckless'

Nyadol Nyuon, a Melbourne-based advocate and lawyer, agreed social media was fuelling offending, but so was mainstream media.

"When they emphasise, overemphasise criminal activities … it contributes to this idea that there is some sort of attention that you can get from this behaviour," she told Q+A.

Ms Nyuon, who has worked with government on crime prevention and youth justice, said "we can't be proposing solutions that are in themselves reckless".

"Especially for communities like this, communities where there are problems with inequality … we're often so willing to understand how these things affect older people … but when it comes to young people, somehow we don't connect [them]," she said.

"There must be systemic responses … there must be investment in our schools and rehabilitation processes.

"As much as we have to balance that role of holding young people accountable, we have to balance it with the role of looking after them and finding solutions for them."

Ms Nyuon also wants the age of criminal responsibility raised. The Victoria government is legislating to raise the age from 10 to 12, but has walked away from a promise to make it 14 .

"We are fighting biology," she said.

"Being tough on crime against nine-year-olds, it's fighting biology and not fighting crime."

Federal Labor MP Julian Hill, whose electorate of Bruce is in Melbourne's south-east, said he supported state government moves to toughen bail laws.

But he also advocated for early intervention, "trying to find out what the problem is".

"It's a mixed story," the assistant minister for citizenship and multicultural affairs told Q+A.

"The number of unique offenders hasn't changed. We've got a small cohort of those unique offenders, youth criminals, who are committing crimes over and over again.

"This is not about stigmatising my community."

Atifa Ahmed told Q+A the media should balance crime coverage by spotlighting achievement. ( ABC )

Spotlight on youth achievement

Uni student Atifa Ahmed, currently serving as a 2024 Young Leader with Greater Dandenong Council, is sick of the "terrible headlines out there saying young teens are out of control".

"If we want young people to do amazing things we need to show them they can do amazing things," she said.

"We need to put them in the spotlight and put the amazing things they're doing in the spotlight.

"You don't see the good things young people are doing making it to national news. It's overshadowed by all these negative stereotypes."

Jon Faine, a long-time former ABC Melbourne broadcaster, challenged the media to tell more positive stories.

"It's really easy to make people afraid. So the challenge is to work harder on hope in order to swamp fear," he said.

Ms Nyuon told Q+A there are wider engagement issues. She said young people have "lost trust in institutions" and feel let down on issues like climate change.

"It is not enough to ask young people to be hopeful when the solutions that are being presented for them about their future are in themselves not imaginative or a response to their needs," she said.

And she said young Australians from minority groups are particularly at risk.

"Any time I hear there's a crime that's occurred, my prayer is I hope it's not a black kid," she said.

"And the reason I do that is because the next day all of us are criminal.

"I'm not at all trying to discount what it must feel like to feel unsafe. I am trying to wrestle, as we must as adults, with all the perspective and all the context we need to bring to a question."

Local Suzy Baddock heard the arguments but insisted kids don't feel the consequences of their actions like they should.

"There is always an excuse for it, rather than saying 'this is not appropriate', you should understand that and there is a consequence for that," she said.

Watch the full episode of Q+A on ABC iview . Follow Q+A on YouTube and Facebook .

Youth Crime as a Major Issue in the World Essay

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Introduction

Causes of youth crime, consequences of youth crime, preventive measures to be taken in regard to youth crime, works cited, annotated bibliography.

Youth crime has become a major issue of concern worldwide because most youths have been indulging in crimes at very high rates. This has raised the need to take some steps in an effort to either minimize or avoid the involvement of youths in criminal activities. Youth crime also referred to as juvenile delinquency entails some abnormality in the youths’ behaviour in regard to societal or even legal expectations.

There are many factors that are considered to facilitate indulgence in crime by the youths for instance poor up bringing, poverty and unemployment, lack of education and peer pressure among others. This research paper will look into the various aspects that are associated with youth crime for example the causes, the delinquent behaviours involved, and the preventive measures undertaken to handle the delinquencies.

There is no distinct factor that can be pin pointed as the root cause of youth crime. This is because youths engage in criminal activities as a result of the different situations that they face in life. The situations could be as a result of either social, economic, cultural or even family problems.

Different economic, social and cultural conditions in different countries causes the difference in the causes although some common causes can be drawn since all hail from family relationships, the social environment and the economic situation surrounding the youths.

The relationships that exist in the families of the youths could facilitate the indulgence in criminal activities for example when the parents are involved in crime, when there is poor parental guidance and supervision, in case of neglect and isolation or harsh treatment by parents hence the development of defiant behaviour, where there exist family conflicts and the youths feel overburdened, ineffective or lack of communication between the parents and the children hence lack of forum for discussing the problems that the youths could be having, disrespect and irresponsible behaviour among family members that may make the youths take it as a normality, family break-ups and violence among others.

An economic condition on the other hand entails aspects like the political situations surrounding the youths, poverty and unemployment among other aspects (Western, Lynch and Oquilvie 45). The political situation in a nation may also lead to indulgence in crime by the youths for example in instances where there is political instability, the youths may tend to look for means through which to secure a better future hence engaging in criminal activities in search of a livelihood.

Lack of employment opportunities for the youths is also a major contributing factor towards delinquency. Some of the youths have got education but lack employment chances making them hopeless and susceptible to anything that may come their way, crime being one of them as they try to survive and establish a source of living.

Poverty and inequality also contributes to criminal activities. This is because no one is ready to accept living in poor conditions especially where others have better living conditions. As the youths tend to move away from the poverty situations they find themselves engaging in criminal ventures in an effort to make life favourable and comfortable.

The social conditions that may facilitate the indulgence in criminal activities by the youths include inequalities in terms of services provision and power sharing, poor or lack of leadership in the societies hence loss of focus among the youths, discrimination among the youths, peer pressure and influence of the media for instance where the media portrays violence and crime to be prestigious making the youths to emulate people involved in crime among others. It is therefore evident that to prevent crime, the above named causes should be dealt with from the roots (McCord et al 25).

There are numerous consequences that are associated with youth crime. The crimes affect not only those undertaking it but also the society at large. This is because of the uncertainty linked with the criminal activities which leads to tension and anxiety among the society members as they don’t know what may happen to them.

The crime may also be dangerous to the youths themselves for instance the abuse of drugs and other substances may lead to deterioration of their health, they may also be physically injured in the event of perpetrating the criminal activities and more so, they may get themselves behind bars facing legal sentences once they are convicted for the crimes committed hence suffering from lack of freedom and harsh treatment (Elliot, Huizinga, and Menard 29).

Since the problem of youth crime is real and in existence, there is need to establish some measures aimed at reducing or avoiding the chances of engaging in crimes by the youths. A good approach is however the identification of the root causes of the crimes and dealing with them appropriately.

The measures include reduction of inequality and poverty levels among communities. This could be achieved through aspects like effective taxation that ensures that the well-up people are able to support the less fortunate through the taxes hence reducing the inequality. Poverty can also be reduced through provision of employment opportunities and increasing the minimum earnings.

This will in the long run reduce the chances of the youths’ indulgence in crime as they will be involved in more productive activities in the economy. Reduction of the availability of drugs and other substances is also a recommended step as it reduces the number of youths who can access them hence avoiding their abuse (Blyth and Solomon 2).

Another effective method that could be applied is the youth awareness programmes for instance on the importance of education and general positive living. Education should also be made affordable to the majority including the poor as education enhances an individual’s well being in terms of decision making and making choices as well as increasing the possibilities of securing job opportunities hence have a stable source of earning.

There should also be efforts to reinforce the law enforcement strategies with an aim of reducing chances of crime as the youths caught committing crimes are sentenced hence serving as examples to the others who may think of indulging in crime. Corruption is a contributing force towards crime execution of since the offenders feel free to commit the crimes without minding the consequences as they know they can bribe the law enforcers and get away with it.

Reduction of the corruption will in return result to reduction of crime rates as the youths will be held responsible for their criminal activities and hence they will tend to avoid it. These preventive measures among others will help reduce crime rates through dealing with the root causes of the crimes (Muhammad 9).

It is evident that youth crime is a problem in most countries as young people are increasingly getting involved in criminal activities. The problem however lies in the establishment of the main causes of crime youth but once this is clear, the problem can be dealt with appropriately through prevention of its crimes rather than waiting for its occurrence and intervening since this is much more tasking and entails aspects like rehabilitation which can be avoided through prevention.

Blyth, Maggie and Solomon, Enver. Prevention and Youth Crime: Is Early Intervention Working? United Kingdom: The Policy Press, 2009.

Elliot, S. Delbert, Huizinga, David and Menard, Scott. Multiple Problem Youth: Delinquency, Substance Use and Mental Health Problems. Springer: New York, 2009.

McCord, Joan et al. Juvenile Crime, Juvenile Justice . USA: National Academies Press, 2001.

Muhammad, Ali. “ Youth Crime: Causes and Remedies ”. Munich Personal RePEc Archive (MPRA), Paper No. 17223, 2008. Web.

Western, Stuart John, Lynch, Mark and Oquilvie, Emma. Understanding Youth Crime: An Australian Study . USA: Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2003.

The following are the additional sources to be included in the annotated bibliography.

This book is very essential in this study as it gives an insight to the prevention of youth crime. It specifically touches on the importance of prevention rather than cure in regard to any given problem and in this case the authors give the benefits accrued to the prevention process as opposed to the cure. It focuses on the need for early intervention programmes that should be put in place in an effort to preventing the young children and the youths from engaging in criminal activities.

It is a book that incorporates contributions from various experts in their effort to examine critically the government policy in relation to early intervention programmes, which are directed towards supporting families and preventing young children and youths from being involved in crime. It generally looks into the effectiveness of early intervention as a measure towards preventing youth crime.

This book has combined efforts of different authors to bring about an understanding of why the young people decide to turn into delinquent acts. The book specifically looks into the patterns of crimes undertaken by children and youth offenders. It gives a detailed insight into the contributing factors for instance parental care, peer pressure and how the society influences this.

Apart from the reasons for indulgence of the youths in crime, the book highlights some of the solutions to youth crime for instance the interventions to be implemented in the juvenile justice system, the part played by law enforcers and other preventive measures.

Muhammad, Ali. “Youth Crime: Causes and Remedies”. Munich Personal RePEc Archive (MPRA) , Paper No. 17223, 2008. Web.

This is a very informative research paper as it covers a wide range of aspects in regard to the topic of study, Youth Crime. It gives in depth details in relation to the factors that may facilitate the youths’ indulgence to various criminal activities and the consequences associated with the involvement of the youths in criminal activities including those faced by the offenders themselves and the society at large.

Apart from the causes and effects of youth crime, the author recognizes the fact that the ordeal of crime is in existence and more so it is in the rise and therefore outlines in details the appropriate measures that should be adhered to in an effort to preventing and avoiding the engagement of the youths in criminal activities emphasizing that dealing with the root causes is very crucial in preventing youth crime.

Scott, S. Elizabeth and Steinberg, Laurence. Adolescent Development and the Regulation of Youth Crime. The Future of children, volume 18, Number 2, fall 2008, pp. 15 – 33.

This journal article explores the changes that have taken place in the conception of the law over the past years. The authors shows of how the youth offenders were initially treated, the same way as adults, which is not right as the youths are quite different from the adults for instance in terms of the offences they commit and the punishment they can stand.

The laws to be adopted for instance emphasizes on the application of aspects like rehabilitation as corrective measures as opposed to punishment which is employed in case of the adult offenders. It calls for attention to the application of the juvenile justice system to the delinquents as opposed to subjections to the adult courts.

Western, Stuart John, Lynch, Mark and Oquilvie, Emma. Understanding Youth Crime: An Australian Study. USA: Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2003.

The authors in this book give some good and educative information that can assist us in understanding the general overview of the aspect of youth crime. Although the case study is in the Australian population, it gives the idea of the relationship between the youths and crime. According to this book, the youths are in their transitional process from childhood to adulthood and they are susceptible to numerous troubles including criminal activities.

The book focuses on an Australian study that was carried out to determine the major social factors that are deemed to have some impacts on the general lives of young people. The study was conducted on 1,300 youths which is a total representative sample and from this a general overview is drawn which enriches our understanding of youth criminality.

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IvyPanda. (2018, September 5). Youth Crime as a Major Issue in the World. https://ivypanda.com/essays/youth-crime/

"Youth Crime as a Major Issue in the World." IvyPanda , 5 Sept. 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/youth-crime/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Youth Crime as a Major Issue in the World'. 5 September.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Youth Crime as a Major Issue in the World." September 5, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/youth-crime/.

1. IvyPanda . "Youth Crime as a Major Issue in the World." September 5, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/youth-crime/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Youth Crime as a Major Issue in the World." September 5, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/youth-crime/.

Mayor’s Youth Corps Recruiting Class of 2025

Tampa teens wanting to give back to their community and looking for a glimpse into the workings of City Hall are invited to apply for seats on the Class of 2025 Mayor’s Youth Corps .

The Mayor’s Youth Corps is comprised of students in grades 9, 10, and 11 who live in and/or attend a public or private high school within Tampa city limits. Applications are now being accepted for one-year terms. Applications are available on the City of Tampa Mayor’s Youth Corps webpage and will be accepted until October 23, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.

Members of the Youth Leadership Council will review the applications, conduct interviews, and make recommendations regarding acceptance into the program.

Mayor’s Youth Corps members learn about and engage with city government, meet with Mayor Castor, connect with their peers, conduct community service projects, participate in state and national conferences, and run social media platforms. The students learn valuable leadership and employability skills while serving in the program.

"This is a remarkable opportunity for our local high school students to not only learn about city government but to actively participate in transforming Tampa’s tomorrow,” said Mayor Jane Castor. “I encourage all interested students to apply and take advantage of this unique chance to develop leadership skills and make a meaningful impact in the community we call home.”

For more information, please contact the Mayor’s Youth Corps Coordinator, Molly Biebel, at 813-459-4002or via email at [email protected] . 

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