The happiness curve just broke. We have some clues as to why.
The happiness curve is crashing out, as the kids say.
For decades, research showed happiness followed a predictable U-shape: high in youth, low in midlife, rising again in old age.
But new research from 200,000+ young people across the world reveals that the curve is flattening.
The latest data out of the Global Flourishing Study, a collaboration between Harvard and Baylor, shows young adults are struggling across every measure that matters. From mental health, to relationships, sense of purpose, and financial security.
Young people aren't as happy as they used to be.
The researchers were left asking: "Are we sufficiently investing in the well-being of youth?"
Spoiler: We're not. But we have some insights on what happens when we actually do.
Are the kids alright?
Globally, 1 in 7 adolescents worldwide struggle with mental health challenges according to the WHO.
This generation is the first to grow up constantly online, see global crises play out on their feeds, and inherit a climate crisis.
Of course, they're navigating mental health differently.
When we dug deeper into Rwanda's youth mental health landscape, the numbers told us the ‘what’, but not the ‘why’:
13% of Rwandans ages 12-17 report suicidal ideation or behavior within the last six months
1 in 4 youth meets the diagnostic criteria for depression
Among those with suicidal ideation, 20% also have HIV
So we started asking young people directly. That's when we noticed the disconnect.
Existing research focused on big ticket items like HIV, poverty, and intergenerational trauma as sources for mental health struggles for Rwandan teens.
Young people described realities like how they couldn't afford food and tension from fighting with family. "If you don't have money you can't think about what you need," one young person told us.
But that wasn’t all. Young people explained they'd learned mental health problems only matter when they're extreme and visible: "They always say that Rwandans, we are very patient, we are very strong... When you try saying that [you're struggling], they think you are exaggerating."
Armed with these insights, we co-designed Tegura Ejo Heza (Prepare for a Better Tomorrow) with 90 young people in Rwanda.
They knew exactly what they needed, and the result was a youth-driven digital platform combining online learning with peer-led support sessions.
After just five months, the results from 240 participants were clear:
36% showed improved wellbeing scores
17% reported decreased depression symptoms
17% reported decreased anxiety symptoms
Significant reduction in mental health stigma
What made the difference? We actually listened.
The cost of not listening
The happiness curve is flattening because this dynamic is global. Young people worldwide are getting mental health support designed by adults who misunderstand their actual experiences.
The solution isn't more research on young people, or solutions built for them. It's more research with them. Programs built with them.
This means accepting that young people are experts in their own experiences. It means building mental health support around their actual barriers, not our assumptions about those barriers. It means recognizing that a generation facing climate change, economic uncertainty, and constant connectivity just might need different solutions than previous generations.
The question shouldn’t be whether we are resourcing youth well-being enough (we aren’t).
It's whether we're brave enough to let the people living in the collapse design the way forward.
Ready to partner with us to help youth lead the way? Reach out to our team today!
