South African teenagers are tracking youth from wealthier Western nations with lower functional mental wellbeing rather than counterparts in other African countries.
Tanzania has the best Mental Health Quotient (MHQ) scores.
Sapien Labs, which focuses on mental health research, has released the [Mental State of the World](https://mentalstateoftheworld.report/) 2024 Report, revealing that young African adults are showing stronger mental resilience compared to their peers in high-income nations, where youth mental wellbeing has been in steep decline since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The decline across the world is characterised by a deterioration of the ability to control and regulate thoughts and emotions as well as form and maintain positive relationships with people.
The researchers say the report, which analysed more than one million responses from internet-enabled populations in 76 countries, across all continents, presents a concerning reality for 18- to 34-year-olds in Western nations. The decline is far less among several African countries where mental wellbeing scores are higher, with Tanzania ranking first in Africa and the highest globally.
Younger adults in Nigeria and Kenya also score relatively well, with Mental Health Quotient (MHQ) scores above 60 and in the 50-60 range, respectively, indicating better mental health outcomes compared to many Western nations.
South Africa is the only country surveyed in Africa that is aligned more with the West, with South African youth scoring between 30-40 MHQ, which is low, but still above poorly performing countries such as the UK, Ukraine and New Zealand.
The data is still way below the average figures for older adults generally across the globe, the researchers say.
To elaborate, they explain the report is not based on indicators of happiness, nor it is monitoring anxiety and depression.
“The data collected using the Mind Health Quotient (MHQ), which measures all aspects of mental function — emotional, social and cognitive — shows that while older adults are doing well, a near majority of younger adults are experiencing functionally debilitating struggles or distress. This is not just about diminished happiness, which is only a small component of mind health, but of the core mental functioning that’s needed to navigate life’s challenges and function productively.
“This decline in mental wellbeing in youth has been linked to multiple interconnected factors, including weaker social connections, early exposure to smartphones, increased consumption of ultra-processed foods and greater exposure to environmental toxins.
“Younger generations are experiencing fewer close friendships, spending more time online, and consuming diets that contribute to emotional instability and cognitive challenges.
“These combined pressures have fuelled a global crisis that continues to deepen.”