WITH mental health high on the agenda in many countries worldwide, research by a British charity reveals how much the subject is a cause for concern among 15-year-olds. In Europe, 16.6% of teenagers say they are not happy with their lives. This figure rises to 25.2% in Britain.
The figure may be hard to hear, but 16.6% of young Europeans aged 15 say they are not satisfied with their lives, according to the 13th Good Childhood Report from The Children’s Society.
Young Britons were the most unhappy, with 25.2% of respondents saying they were dissatisfied with their lives, as were 24.4% of respondents in Poland and 23.6% in Malta.
But this is the case for only 6.7% of Dutch teens, 10.8% of Finns and 11.3% of Danes.
In France, 15.6% of 15-year-olds report low life satisfaction.
This notable difference between young people in Britain and their European counterparts may be explained by the financial difficulties experienced by some young people in Britain.
Financial issues
For example, 41% are worried about rising prices, while 11% skip meals for lack of money. Overall life satisfaction is very much dependent on this aspect: 17% of young people living in a household that is struggling to make ends meet say they are not happy with their lives, compared to only 9% of those who are not experiencing financial problems.
Moreover, there is a gender difference. Among boys, one in five young Britons say they are dissatisfied with their lives, rising to one in three for girls.
What’s more, the analysis by this British charity, which helps young people facing situations of abuse, neglect or exploitation, shows a decline in young teenagers’ opinion of their own existence.
When the Understanding Society survey was launched in 2009/2010, the British children questioned were generally more satisfied than those questioned in 2021/2022, it concludes.
While their family life is judged somewhat positively, one of the aspects that contributes to their dissatisfaction concerns their appearance. Indeed, no less than 15.6% of young people in Britain are not satisfied with their physical appearance. — AFP Relaxnews
