A new European study has revealed that nearly two in five teenagers are struggling with their mental health. The survey, which covered 37 countries, shows that girls are worse off than boys in every country studied.
The data comes from the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD), which for the first time in 2024 included mental well-being alongside its usual focus on teen alcohol, tobacco, and drug use. This long-running survey involved nearly 114,000 students aged 15 and 16 across Europe.
Many Teens Report Poor Mental Health
The survey asked students how often they felt cheerful, woke up feeling fresh, and showed interest in their lives. These answers were turned into a score out of 100. A score above 50 meant the student had good mental well-being.
Across all countries, 59% of teenagers scored above 50, meaning that over 40% reported poor mental health. But the results varied widely from country to country.
Teens in the Faroe Islands (77%), Iceland (75%), and Denmark (72%) were most likely to report good mental health. These Nordic regions consistently had the highest scores.
At the other end of the spectrum, Ukraine had the lowest number of teens reporting good mental well-being, with just 43%. The report says war trauma and poor access to mental health care are key reasons for this. Other countries with low scores included the Czech Republic (46%), Hungary (47%), and both Cyprus and Poland (49%).
Girls Struggling More Than Boys Across Europe
A major finding of the study is the large mental health gap between boys and girls. Across Europe, 69% of boys said they had good mental well-being, compared with just 49% of girls.
Some countries had even larger gaps. In Italy and Poland, about two-thirds of boys reported good mental health, compared with only one-third of girls. In Sweden, four in five boys said they were doing well, but less than half of girls said the same.
Experts say this points to a serious problem. Kadri Soova, director of Mental Health Europe, said these findings show the urgent need for mental health programs that consider gender differences. “Mental health is deeply connected to the broader social environments in which young people grow up,” she said.
Mental Health Struggles Are Rising Worldwide
Europe is not alone. Around the world, mental health problems among young people are rising. A recent analysis by The Lancet medical journal found that youth mental disorders have gone up over the last ten years in every region.
Soova is urging governments to take action. She says schools need better mental health education, and support services must be easier to access. She also stressed that problems like substance use and online risks need to be addressed together with mental health.
“By building supportive environments,” she said, “we give all adolescents a chance to thrive with dignity and well-being.”
