Today's youth: anxious, depressed, anti-social

Three-generation survey reveals sharp decline in teenage mental health

Madeleine Bunting
Monday 13 September 2004 18.42 BST

The mental health of teenagers has sharply declined in the last 25 years and the chances
that 15-year-olds will have behavioural problems such as lying, stealing and being
disobedient, have more than doubled.

The rate of emotional problems such as anxiety and depression has increased by 70%
among adolescents, according to the biggest time trend study conducted in Britain.

Boys are more likely to exhibit behavioural problems and girls are more likely to suffer
emotional problems. The rate is higher for emotional problems, now running at one in
five of 15-year-old girls. The study found no increase in aggressive behaviour, such as
fighting and bullying, and no increase in rates of hyperactivity.

Guardian Today: the headlines, the analysis, the debate - sent direct to you

Read more

The study looked at three generations of 15-year-olds, in 1974, 1986 and 1999.
Behavioural problems increased over the whole period, while emotional problems were
stable until 1986 and have subsequently shot up. The increases cannot be explained by
the rise in divorce and single parenthood, argues the team of researchers, because they
found comparable increases in all types of families, although there is a higher rate of
adolescent mental health problems in single-parent families.

Nor can growing inequality over the 25 years explain the rise in problem teenagers
because rates of increase were comparable in all social classes. There was no difference
between white and ethnic minority teenagers.

The research found that the rising rate of 15-year-olds with behavioural problems
correlated to their increased chances of experiencing a range of poor outcomes as
adults, such as homelessness, being sacked, dependency on benefits and poor mental
and physical health. This indicated that the rise in problems cannot be attributed to a
greater likelihood to report them.

The deterioration of adolescents' mental health in Britain is in contrast to the findings of

research in the US which showed that a comparable decline tailed off in the 90s, while
in Holland, there was no decline at all.
Advertisement

The study, Time Trends in Adolescent Mental Health, to be published in the Journal of
Child Psychology and Psychiatry in November, is the first to provide evidence in
support of the increasing concern from parents and teachers about the welfare of
teenagers.

The research conducted by a team from the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College
London, and the University of Manchester, provides specific evidence for Britain which
is in line with the World Health Organisation's warning last year that the fastest-
growing mental health problem in the world, and particularly in the developed world,
was among adolescents. "We are doing something peculiarly unhelpful for adolescent
mental health in Britain," said Sharon Witherspoon, deputy director of the Nuffield
Foundation which funded the research. "This is not a trend which is being driven by a
small number of kids who are getting worse. It is not a small tail pulling down the
average but a more widespread malaise."

"The route people take to adulthood has become much more difficult with the pressure
on for qualifications," said John Coleman, director of the Trust for the Study of
Adolescence. "When young people are faced with all these choices, they say they have
to 'make it up as they go along'."

The study was not focused on the most serious cases such as suicide and self-harm
where other recent studies have shown significant increases, but the more general
experience of adolescents which is less likely to reach the point of needing professional
intervention.

The findings are likely to fuel debates about how we are raising our children and
whether they reflect parenting in early years or are linked to Britain's secondary
education system with its emphasis on academic achievement, and poor record of out
of school activities.

A recent survey showed that discipline in secondary schools comes ahead of funding as
parents' greatest concern.

Next month, the Tomlinson report into 14-19 year-old education and training -
commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills - is due to be published; a
green paper on youth services is also expected this autumn.

The study did not look into possible causes, which are to be the subject of further
research.
Also subject to further research is whether there has been a comparable rise in
emotional and behavioural disorders among younger age groups or whether this is a
specific problem in adolescence.

Since youre here

we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading the Guardian than ever but
advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. And unlike many news
organisations, we havent put up a paywall we want to keep our journalism as open
as we can. So you can see why we need to ask for your help. The Guardians
independent, investigative journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to
produce. But we do it because we believe our perspective matters because it might
well be your perspective, too.

I appreciate there not being a paywall: it is more democratic for the media to be
available for all and not a commodity to be purchased by a few. Im happy to make a
contribution so others with less means still have access to information. Thomasine F-R.

If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps to support it, our future would
be much more secure.

English essay topic: Young people are becoming increasingly selfish and self-
centred. What are your views?

In Personal reflections, Uncategorized on June 11, 2013 at 3:10 pm

You will only hear this assertion from people who are not part of this generation but
are judging it from above. (Jon Stewart)

It is a ludicrous assertion, and one that deserves to be ruthlessly refuted. As a youth, I

have not found my peers to be increasingly selfish and self-centred. Instead I have
found my generation to be concerned about their communities, their countries, and the
world that they will inherit.

Past generations have had brilliant leaders and change-makers, and this generation of
young people has its own. For example, Malala Yousafzaia 15-year-old Pakistani
school pupilis an advocate for education and womens rights. She detailed her life
under the Taliban and how girls were prevented from schooling on her blog, and she
openly shared her political views despite the Talibans clampdown on all opposition. In
spite of an assassination attempt last year, Malala has not faltered as an activist for
education. According to her, her purpose is to serve humanity. Clearly, young people
like Malala have demonstrated that youth today do have the gumption to defend noble
causes and fight for the interests of others. She is testament to the notion that youths
are not oblivious to the injustices around them and that they want to correct them. To
jaded adults, individuals like Malala may be idealistic, but she is not in any way selfish
or self-centred.

It may be argued that selfless, mature youths such as Malala are few and far between,
and the rest of our generation can otherwise be generalised to be selfish and self-
centred. However, when I imagine the hoards of young men and women who
voluntarily enlist themselves in the army, who make enormous sacrifices to defend
their countries, I find it impossible to agree that youth today are self-centred.

Young people today do not need to brandish bayonets or fight against repressive
regimes to prove they are a generation that cares about the world around them. With
the advent of Model United Nations, more and more young people are showing a
commendable interest in pertinent global controversies. Model United Nations is a
simulation of a United Nations conference, where students play the role of diplomats
and debate important political issues such as nuclear security and sustainable economic
growth. Perhaps not all young individuals are adept at being diplomats, at crafting the
best resolutions to the worlds disasters, but this is a generation that, at the very least,
shows an interest in political happenings miles away from their homes and makes an
effort to learn about our damaged world. Perhaps then, they will learn to fix it for
generations that come after them.

Every generation has its own selfish people, its own pessimists, its own cynics and its
own naysayers. However, I refuse to believe that my generationthis generation of
young peopleare more selfish and more self-centred than the ones that have come
before us. I look around my classroom and my neighbourhood and I find youths who
are passionate about volunteering at the local nursing home, at the local hospital, or
even in third-world countries far from ours. I have faith in this generation. Get to know
the youths in your own community and you will too.

PS: I havent blogged in a while, and its a little sad that my first post in a long time is
another banal school essay. But I felt this needed to be said for the sole reason that we
(youths) are sometimes unjustifiably attacked for not matching up to the toil of previous
generations, for being too pampered and too sheltered to care about anything beyond
our own materialistic desires. Obviously that assertion is a lie, and we (youths) should
not be coerced into believing it, lest it become true.

The youth today - are they more impatient than a few decades ago.

It has been rightly said that we spend the first half of our lives trying to understand the
older generation, and the rest half in understanding the younger generation. Every age
has its own charm. Youth has always felt somewhat exasperated with age and age has
always been suspicious of youth. With their natural ebullience and impatience, a
majority of young people are keen to act and learn on their own rather being guided by
the experience of elders. The older people being more at home with words rather than
action often make noises about the youth being impatient and rude. In every
generation, old men are found to shaking their hoary heads and waxing nostalgic about
the good old days when youth of their time knew better and showed due reverence to
age and tradition.

Some of the charges brought against modern youth are that they represent a rudderless
generation without any ideals to live by or cause to live for. They are afflicted with
compulsive irreverence which manifests itself in increasing defiance of parental
authority and revolt against established social norms. On the slightest pretext they take
to streets, indulging in violence. They want to attract attention through unconventional
behavior. They are becoming a generation of drug addicts and have developed an
aversion to honest hard work, ever on the look out to have something for nothing. Its no
longer anxious youth going forth, into a hostile world. Now its hostile youth going
forth into an anxious world this is not sure what to expect from it.

If we come to think about it, it is not only the youth which is restless, human society
itself is in a state of flux. Growing affluence in developed societies has generated among
the youth there a restlessness which pined for instant rewards. The children get all the
money they need from parents and seldom face the need to work for a living. In the
under developed countries also, young generation are feeling disgruntled because their
visions of a happy future are being obliterated either by internal strife or political
opportunism. This provokes the youth to protest against rampant corruption in society
and the denial of social justice.

In the circumstances, is it to be wondered at if all talk of dedication to ideals, renewed

moral vigor and basic virtues leaves the youth cold and unconvinced? They are no
longer prepared to blindly accept whatever their elders choose to ram down their
throats. They are prone to subject to critical review all the social and political values
they are called upon to accept. When they se high sounding principles invariably being
ignored for expediency, political leaders deliberately hoodwinking the masses, vested
interests being allowed to frustrate the state of every step, corruption common in high
places and other gaping differences between promise and performance, they naturally
become cynical and clamor for change.

Students form a very important group among the youth of all nations. Their biggest and
most legitimate grievance is that what they learn after putting so much time, effort and
money has very little relevance to the realities of life with which they come face to face
after leaving the university. It is but natural that they should want to have a say in
determining what should be taught so that it has some relevance to their future. They
would no longer tolerate politickers veiled as teachers. They consider themselves quite
capable of looking after themselves.
If we look at youth today in the light of foregoing, it will be apparent that it's not the
young alone who are to blame for the state of mind in which we find them. They may
well be charged with being ignorance of what they want. Theirs is a movement of
protest against hypocrisy and lack of integrity in their elders. Evidently, this concern for
the future and this anxiety to rescue life from hypocrisy is very laudable indeed. But it
cannot be said that the young are all the time guided by such high purpose. Dissent is
required in fact obligatory when things go wrong. Violence comes natural to youth. The
young, supremely sure that the authority against which they are up in arms is unjust
and oppressive and feeling cretin of the correctness of their own stand, react
emotionally. The intensity of their feelings is such that it fills them with hatred and they
turn to violence.

On the whole, the younger generation today is much misunderstood and more
maligned than it deserves. The world which it is going to inherit will be immensely
more exciting than the world of its predecessors ever was or could be. At the same time,
life will present to it a much bigger and far more complex challenge. It would not do to
condemn it and find fault with it that is easy enough. What is really important is that it
is treated with understanding so that it can develop to faculties to reshape the world it
is going to inherit in accordance with its noblest vision.

Problems faced by the youth today

The youth of today has been widely outclassed; they do not consider themselves to be
too young to be pampered, and they are not supposed to be old enough to take
responsibility on their own shoulders.

The main problem is the communication gap between them and their elders the
former believing themselves to be old enough for taking their own decisions for matters
personal or social while the latter just refuse to hand over this responsibility to them.
This leads to temperaments rising high more often.

The most common problem a person faces at this phase of life is peer pressure. They are
pressures by either dares or threats into doing what one would rather avoid. Some
people are naturally competitive and they strive to act in ways that could help settle
their 'image' either to impress or intimidate others. This can be seen in their
disobedience of their elders who try to advice them through experiences which these
young ones lack at the moment but fail dismally.

Six out of every 10 such people are usually short-tempered and rude in their response.
Many hesitate in taking their parents' advice in different matters, particularly in issues
which according to them are very modest and thus they land up in taking up the wrong
decision. Today's youth is more outgoing, more extravagant in their desires and less
into their studies; they are stubbornly leading a luxurious lifestyle and know less of the
benefits of hard work excluding fitness.

However, this article is not Problems faced by the youth today

only about the elite, the privileged. In our society, unfortunately, there are many young
people who cannot even afford to go to school. They remain illiterate and are
shamefully and mercilessly forced into child labour when they ought to be learning and
enjoying life like the rest of their age group. A number of them face problems and some
even lost their life or limb, doing jobs which are meant for older people.

Sometimes, racism and/or discrimination against people of opposite gender, caste,

creed or religion makes them a victim of emotional disorder. They have low self-esteem
and can easily be overridden by views of other people. This is in special reference to the
general concept of male domination over women who are taken for granted in respect
to their specialisation at house chores. Because today's children are less concerned with
politics, they are vulnerable to be used in anti-social activities with false charms that
lure them into active participation. They are kept hostages for ransom and/or turned
into militants in the name of religion as displayed by the Lal Masjid incident.

Last but not the least, are the so-called love issues which have dramatically been on rise
since the past few years but end mostly in the destruction of lives either by suicide or by
eternal misery which renders them mentally unfit. The depression overpowers them
and very few are able to cope up with it as another aspect of the ups and downs of life.

We should remember that the more we remain down-to-earth and enjoy life as it is
meant to be the better we stay for the rest of our lives. One should always remain aware
of where his actions can lead him to in future. Though it is believed that everything is
predestined in our lives, we still are responsible for our deeds since God has provided
us a brain to think before doing anything.

It can be justly said that this age is the most difficult part of life and each and every one
of us have to pass The most common problem a person faces at this phase of life is peer
pressure. There are pressures by either dares or threats into doing what one would
rather avoid. Some people are naturally competitive and they strive to act in ways that
could help settle their 'image' either to impress or intimidate others.

through it. Man is said to be learning throughout his life. It is not that one cannot
recover later in life but by then it may be too late as time can prove to be the worst
opponent in any fight.

Therefore, we should take note of our slip-ups when there is time left and even if failure
approaches us, overcome it with complete domination as John Keats once said Don't
be discouraged by a failure. It can be a positive experience. Failure is, in a sense, the
highway to success, in as much as every discovery of what is false leads us to seek
earnestly after what is true, and every fresh experience points out some form of error
which we shall afterwards carefully avoid.

Children in todays society are pushed to excel and win at all costs in sports and in life.
This
emphasis is counterproductive to cooperative work and play as well as increasing stress
factors in their lives. Children need to be reminded that the point of any game is to have
fun and socialize.

The world will keep turning regardless of the games outcome. Playing games allows
for relaxation, acquiring skills, and the building of friendships in a cooperative
atmosphere. Basic social interactive skills such as supporting others as they try their
best are able to be practiced in real life situations. However, all of that can be lost if the
emphasis is allowed to
focus on winning alone.

Good sportsmanship is an essential social skill. Students with this skill are able to
establish and maintain friendships and successfully participate in cooperative activitie

if you're into sports, you've seen it happen. You've probably even experienced it:
Football players shaking hands after four quarters of knocking each other around.
Tennis players leaping over the net to shake hands with their opponents after a hard-
fought match. Soccer players exchanging jerseys after an intense 90 minutes. Even
boxers touching gloves at the beginning of each round, then hugging each other after
beating each other into a pulp for 12 rounds.

It seems like competitors in every event, from spelling bees to hockey, behave this way.
What's going on?

It's all part of sportsmanship, a great tradition in sports and competition that means
playing clean and handling both victory and defeat with grace, style, and dignity.

What Is Sportsmanship?

Sportsmanship is defined as:

playing fair
following the rules of the game
respecting the judgment of referees and officials
treating opponents with respect
Some people define good sportsmanship as the "golden rule" of sports in other
words, treating the people you play with and against as you'd like to be treated
yourself. You demonstrate good sportsmanship when you show respect for yourself,
your teammates, and your opponents, for the coaches on both sides, and for the
referees, judges, and other officials.

But sportsmanship isn't just reserved for the people on the field. Cheerleaders, fans, and
parents also need to be aware of how they behave during competition. Sportsmanship
is a style and an attitude, and it can have a positive influence on everyone around you.

Win or Lose, Sportsmanship Helps You Get Through

In the last few years, taunting, trash-talking, gloating, and cheap shots have become all
too common in sports. You've probably seen athletes who take their own successes too
seriously, too. They celebrate a goal with a prolonged victory dance or constantly brag
about their abilities.

This is the exact opposite of what sportsmanship is all about. This kind of behavior
might make you feel tough or intimidating to an opponent, but keep in mind it can also
cause you to lose the match. Plenty of games have been lost to penalties gathered from
"unsportsmanlike conduct."

Everyone feels great when they win, but it can be just as hard to be a good sport when
you've won a game as when you've lost one. Good sportsmanship takes maturity and
courage when you work really hard at a sport, it's not easy to admit you made a bad
play or that someone has more skills than you. In competition as in life you may
not always win but you can learn something from losing, too.

It's pretty tough to lose, so it definitely doesn't help matters if someone continues
taunting you or your team after the competition is over. Sometimes it's hard to swallow
your pride and walk on. But there's always the next match.

When you do lose and it will happen don't take it out on your opponent, blame the
officials, or blame your team. Take it in stride. When you lose, lose with class. Being
proud of how you performed, or at least being aware of things you need to improve for
next time, is key.

When it comes to losing, good sportsmanship means congratulating the winners

promptly and willingly. Also, it means accepting the game's outcome without
complaint and without excuses, even if you sometimes might feel the referees made a
few questionable calls.

When you win, the trick is to be a gracious and generous winner. Good sportsmanship
means acknowledging victories without humiliating opponents, being quietly proud of
success, and letting victories speak for themselves. Even if you win by a landslide, good
sportsmanship means still finding ways to compliment your opponents.

Practicing Good Sportsmanship

So what does it take to demonstrate good sportsmanship in real-life situations? Here are
some examples of things you can do:

Learn as much as you can about your sport. Play by its rules. Show up for
practice, work hard, and realize that on a team, everyone deserves a chance to
play.
Talk politely and act courteously toward everyone before, during, and after
games and events. That includes your teammates, your opponents, your coaches
and their coaches, the officials presiding over the game, and even spectators
(who can sometimes be loud about their opinions).
Stay cool. Even if others are losing their tempers, it doesn't mean you have to.
Remind yourself that no matter how hard you've practiced and played, it is, after
all, just a game.
Avoid settling disputes with violence. If you're in a difficult situation or
someone's threatening you, seek help immediately from your coach or from an
official. Remember, too, that if you respond with violence you could get
penalized, which could hurt your chances of winning.
Cheer your teammates on with positive statements and avoid trash-talking the
other team.
Acknowledge and applaud good plays, even when someone on the other team
makes them.
When officials make a call, accept it gracefully even if it goes against you.
Remember that referees may not be right every time but they're people who
are doing their best, just as you are.
Whether you win or lose, congratulate your opponents on a game well played.

Fair and Fun

Good sportsmanship means not having a "win at any cost" attitude. Most athletes who
don't have a "win at any cost" attitude are more likely to talk about how much they love
their sport and how much personal satisfaction and enjoyment they get from
participation.

Most people won't go on to play professional sports, and only a few will win
scholarships to play at college. But many forget to have a good time during the years
they do play because they're so focused on winning.
And, unfortunately, parents and coaches sometimes put too much pressure on athletes,
emphasizing winning at all costs. So although it's great to be a champion, it's even
better to have enjoyed the process of trying to reach the top. It's best to play fair while
having fun.

Sportsmanship Off the Field

Learning good sportsmanship means finding that the positive attitude learned on the
field carries over into other areas of life. At school, for example, you're able to
appreciate the contributions made by classmates and know how to work as part of a
team to complete a project. You may enjoy more success at work as well, because a big
part of learning good sportsmanship is learning to be respectful of others, including
customers and coworkers.

Teaching Children Good Sportsmanship

Parents and kids alike love sports, and it's easy to get caught up in a game and become
focused on winning. Yet there is much more to be gained from the sports experience
than a winning record. When children and teens are involved in sports, they are able to
learn and put into practice values that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Good sportsmanship is one of the life lessons that children can learn from sports. You
can help your children understand and value good sportsmanship while making sure
they have a safe and fun sports experience.

Good sportsmanship may seem hard to define, but its hallmarks include being able to
win without gloating, respecting one's opponents, and being able to lose gracefully.
Here are some important principles to instill in your children:

If you lose, don't make up excuses.

If you win, don't rub it in.
Learn from mistakes and get back in the game.
Always do your best.
If someone else makes a mistake, remain encouraging and avoid criticizing.
Show respect for yourself, your team, and the officials of the game.

Parents are important role models, so let your children see you upholding these
principles, whether you play a sport yourself or root for your child's team from the
sidelines.

Tips for teaching good sportsmanship

Good sportsmanship includes following certain guidelines for good behavior. Share
these concepts with your children:
Follow the rules of the game. It might seem easier to win by doing things a different
way (cheating), but everyone has to follow the rules. Explain to your child that rules are
created so that sports can be played in an organized way.

Avoid arguing. Stay focused on the game instead of giving in to anger with
teammates, coaches, or referees. Always avoid using bad language and negative
words.
Everyone should have a chance to play. In youth sports, it's important to
encourage even those players who are the least skilled to have fun playing in the
game. Parents, coaches, and even other players have an important role in
allowing less talented teammates time to participate.
Play fair. Good sportsmen want to win because they followed the rules and
played the best game they could. Never support any effort to win that attempts
to go around the rules. Cheating is not acceptable.
Follow directions. Emphasize the importance of listening to coaches and referees
and following their directions while on the field and involved in team activities.
Respect the other team. Whether your team wins or loses, it's important to show
respect for the effort of the other team. If the other team wins, accept defeat,
acknowledge their abilities, and move on. If your team wins, resist bragging
that's what it means to be a gracious winner.
Encourage teammates. Team sports work best when each individual supports
the team. Praise teammates for what they do well and encourage them when
they make mistakes. Avoid criticism and unkind actions. Parents should model
this behavior for children by praising them for specific things they have done
well, even if they made a mistake or may not have played as well as hoped.
Respect the decisions of referees and other officials. These people are charged
with making difficult decisions about plays in the game. Good sportsmanship
requires that you accept a call, even if you disagree with it. Remember that it's
only one call in a long gameget back into play and focus on the game.
End with a handshake. Good sportsmen enjoy sports and know how to end a
game on a positive note, whether or not they won. Threats, anger, criticism, and
other negative expressions are not acceptable.