No quick fixes: dual research calls for long-term action on youth mental health

Two new reports from Koi Tū Centre for Informed Futures reveal the need for long-term, coordinated action to address New Zealand’s youth mental health crisis.

Together, the thinktank reports show that while social media amplifies the challenges young people face, deeper systemic pressures – from economic instability to family stress and inequality – are the true drivers of declining wellbeing.

At the same time, clear evidence-based pathways forward are identified, offering decision-makers tangible options for change.

The first report, Pathways to Wellbeing: A Youth-Led Exploration of Mental Health in Aotearoa New Zealand, captures the voices of 176 young people aged 16–25 across Auckland and Northland.

The second, Addressing Youth Mental Distress in Aotearoa New Zealand reviews international and local evidence on interventions, outlining six key areas for action.

These reports and Koi Tū’s youth mental health research programme were generously supported by Graeme and Robyn Hart.

Listening to rangatahi:

Dr Jessica Stubbing, lead author of Pathways to Wellbeing, says hearing directly from young people was critical.

“If we want to improve our understanding of how the world around us affects young people’s mental health, it is critical that we talk to them.”

Through nineteen workshops with participants from diverse backgrounds, young people identified four key issues shaping their mental wellbeing:

• The world they live in: anxiety about the economy, climate change and a society they see as polarised and unequal.
• The pressures they experience: expectations to succeed academically, make families proud, and in some cases contribute financially to whānau.
• The connections they need: reliance on supportive peers, family and communities, and the risks of isolation.
• Finding their path: navigating identity and independence in a complex and uncertain world.

Each of these was amplified by social media and the digital world – creating pressure to perform, comparison with peers, and constant visibility. Yet young people also recognised positive impacts, including opportunities for connection and support.

“Social media doesn’t operate in a vacuum. It reflects the offline world – both what is helpful in it, and what is harmful. In talking about the impact of social media, we also need to address the realities of the world young people move through offline every day,” says Dr Stubbing.

Clear evidence-based solutions:

The second report, Addressing Youth Mental Distress in Aotearoa New Zealand, outlines six areas for action to address the drivers of distress:

• Tackling sources of adversity such as poverty, discrimination, and family instability.
• Building resilience through skills that help young people manage uncertainty.
• Strengthening belonging in whānau, schools, and cultural identity.
• Improving experiences at school, where achievement pressure and negative environments weigh heavily.
• Expanding access to timely, youth-friendly and equitable mental health services.
• Better understanding the role of social media as both a risk and opportunity.

The report emphasises that the foundations for mental health are laid in early life, even before birth, and supporting maternal mental health and quality early childhood education have lifelong benefits.

The report’s lead author, Koi Tū Fellow Dr Madeline Hayward, stresses that prevention and intervention must go hand in hand: “This means supporting today’s adolescents with accessible services, while also investing in tomorrow’s by creating healthier foundations for mental wellbeing in early childhood.”

Dr Hayward says: “We know there is no single silver bullet. But there are clear themes we can target. If we align investment with evidence and what young people tell us they need, we can finally make real progress.”

Another area of need is stronger evaluation of initiatives.

“We have very little data about which initiatives are actually working for young people. Some may even be harmful. Programmes should be properly evaluated, with outcomes reported, so funding decisions can be guided by evidence – not assumptions.”

A call for coordinated, long-term action

Sir Peter Gluckman, Koi Tū Managing Trustee, says both reports underline the need for a long-term, strategic approach to youth mental health.

“Declining youth mental health has implications for lifelong wellbeing, education and workforce outcomes, and the future prosperity of our country.

“Government, schools, whānau, communities and service providers must commit to coordinated action over many years. Supporting youth mental health is not just a moral necessity — it’s a public health priority.”

“Both reports stress the importance of embedding youth voice in policy. Listening to rangatahi, combined with investing in evidence-based strategies, represents a new way forward.”