A smaller proportion of Gen Z is thriving compared to millennials at the same age, and members of Gen Z are far less likely to describe their mental health as “excellent,” according to a new study.
“Less than half (47%) of Gen Z Americans are thriving in their lives – among the lowest of any generation in the U.S. today, and a much lower rate than millennials at the same age,” says a report from Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation.
The study, released Thursday, aims to reflect the voices of Gen Z on key issues facing the generation. Researchers interviewed more than 3,000 people between the ages of 12 and 26 in April and May this year.
“Decisions affecting public policy, learning environments, and workplaces should consider the perspectives of – not about – Gen Z, the challenges they face, and the solutions that best meet their unique needs,” the study said.
Researchers said a scale that measures whether people are thriving, struggling or suffering is a telling metric. Respondents were asked to rate how they felt about their current and future lives, and were defined as thriving if they gave high ratings in both categories.
According to the study, only 41% of Gen Z members aged 18-26 are thriving, while millennials of the same age are thriving at a rate of around 60%.
One thing to keep in mind: Generational research is controversial.
Some scholars argue that generational labels are harmful and unscientific.
And earlier this year, the Pew Research Center pointed out that some trends that appear to be generational shifts may actually be differences based on life stage and age that can change over time.
Researchers say there’s evidence that Gen Z’s mental health struggles are different
Compared to older generations today, the Gallup-WFF study said members of Gen Z are much more likely to report experiencing negative emotions such as stress, anxiety and loneliness.
The researchers also said they found “evidence that Gen Z’s self-reported mental health struggles are different from those of previous generations at the same age”. When asked to describe their current mental health or well-being, only 15% of Gen Z members aged 18-26 said it was excellent.
That’s a steep drop from a decade ago, the study found, when 52% of millennials in the same age group said their mental health was excellent. And in 2004, 55% of people aged 18-26 (including both millennials and Gen X respondents) reported excellent mental health.
Why has there been such a significant decline? The researchers suggest that a general decline in mental health over the past decade may be partly to blame. According to the study, both millennials and members of Gen X “report much lower levels of mental health” today than they did a decade ago.
This isn’t the first study to highlight Gen Z’s mental health issues.
Earlier this year, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that poor mental health remains a “significant public health problem” for adolescents, particularly teen girls.
A 2018 report from the American Psychological Association found that, compared to other generations, more members of Generation Z considered their mental health to be fair or poor. At the time, the association’s CEO called the shift concerning, but noted that it could be a positive sign.
“This generation may be more attuned to recognizing problems with their mental health than older generations,” said psychologist Walter Evans.
Another Gen Z characteristic: optimism
More than three-quarters of Gen Z members believe they have a great future ahead of them, according to the study.
“There is a fairly consistent sense of optimism in the face of mental health issues for this generation,” the study says.
Despite this optimism, the study also found that less than half of Gen Zers feel they’re prepared for the future.
