“We’re living in a world that wasn’t built for us”: A qualitative exploration of young New Zealander’s perspectives on socio-ecological determinants of declining youth mental health

TL;DR

This study explores how young New Zealanders view social and environmental factors affecting their mental health, emphasizing the role of social media and systemic issues.

Contribution

The study provides novel insights into youth mental health by centering young people’s perspectives on socio-ecological determinants.

Findings

Four key themes were identified: the world we live in, pressures, connections, and finding our path.

Social media was found to amplify both positive and negative mental health impacts.

Systemic social determinants and digital landscape complexities are intertwined in affecting youth wellbeing.

Abstract

Globally, youth mental health has been in decline since the beginning of the 21st century. While much has been written about the reasons for this, we have little understanding of young people’s perspectives. A rich understanding of the issues young people identify as impacting their mental health is essential for developing effective interventions. This study aimed to explore what young people from Aotearoa, New Zealand believe impacts their mental health, both positively and negatively, with a focus on social determinants.

176 young people (16–25-year-olds, mean age 17) participated in one of 19 workshops held in 2023. Our methodology was informed by participatory research methods and developed in consultation with young people who served as advisors. Workshops were held across rural and urban areas of two regions of New Zealand. Recordings were transcribed, combined with survey responses, and analysed through Reflexive Thematic Analysis.

Four themes were identified which young people perceived as impacting their wellbeing: The world we live in, the pressures we experience, the connections we need, and finding our path. All factors identified as impacting on their mental health, both positive and negative, were ‘amplified’ by social media.

Our findings highlight the intersecting issues of systemic social determinants of wellbeing and their complex relationship with an evolving digital landscape. Effectively addressing rising rates of mental health challenges is likely to hinge on both population level action to address social determinants and targeted promotion of strategies to support young people to navigate the increasing complexity of modern life.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-025-22618-2.

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