by A recent study led by the University of Sydney has found that the mental health of Australians has been steadily declining since 2010, impacting earlier generations as well as the younger demographic of Gen Z.
While it has been widely acknowledged that young people’s mental health has worsened in developed countries in recent years, there has been ongoing debate about whether this is a temporary shift that improves with age or a more concerning and long-term trend.
To explore this issue, researchers conducted a 20-year study from 2001 to 2020, tracking the mental health of a dedicated cohort of Australians. The data was drawn from the HILDA survey, a nationally representative survey of 9,000 households. The researchers examined how each generation’s mental health changed as they aged and compared the mental health of each cohort (born between 1940 and 1990) at the same age.
The findings revealed that individuals born in the 1990s have poorer mental health for their age compared to any previous generation. Moreover, these individuals do not experience improvements in mental health as they age, as observed in earlier generations. Notably, the study also found that the decline in mental health since 2010 has affected those born in the 1980s and, to a lesser extent, even the 1970s.
According to lead author Dr. Richard Morris, senior research fellow in the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Medicine and Health, the focus has primarily been on the declining mental health of school-aged children and adolescents. However, this study demonstrates a shifting pattern where mental health deterioration is not limited to young individuals alone.
Dr. Morris stated, “Our data not only shows a continuing decline in the mental health of the current crop of young people but continues to affect older generations today heading into their 40s and 50s. We are not seeing the rebound out of young adulthood that previous generations saw as they aged.”
Although the study’s findings provide strong evidence regarding the deterioration of mental health across generations, it does not explain the underlying cause of this decline. Senior author Professor Nick Glozier, Professor of Psychological Medicine at the University of Sydney, expressed the complexity of understanding the root cause. However, he emphasized the importance of identifying a shared experience that has likely impacted all generations during that time, with young individuals being the most affected.
The study authors also discuss various local and global challenges that could contribute to this declining mental health trajectory. These factors include the rise of social media, sedentary lifestyles, poor sleep quality, climate change, and the changing nature of work.
It is important to note that while these findings reflect broader societal trends, the researchers were unable to consider the potential impact of increased community awareness and reduced stigma surrounding mental health on the survey results. They also observed that the decline in mental health among younger generations was not mirrored in life satisfaction results.
The authors emphasize that this study serves as a starting point for further in-depth analysis, encouraging other researchers to closely investigate the changes in mental ill-health that have occurred in Australia over the past decade.
Understanding the contextual shifts and societal changes that have differentially affected young individuals may inform efforts to mitigate this trend and prevent it from persisting among emerging cohorts.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
