Indian youth ranked 60th among 84 countries in mental health study India News

NEW DELHI: Young Indians rank 60th out of 84 countries on key mental health parameters, scoring significantly lower than their peers aged 18-34 in most parts of the world, according to a 2025 report from an ongoing global mental health study.The ‘Global Mental Health 2025’ report released by US-based Sapien Labs on Thursday not only reveals the severe mental health crisis faced by India’s youth but also reveals a huge generational gap as the mental health scores of the elderly are significantly higher.

The report, which surveyed more than 78,000 people with internet access in India, gave young adults (18-34 years old) a Mental Health Quotient (MHQ) score of 33. This contrasts with the MHQ score of 96 for people aged 55 and over, a level consistent with normal mental functioning and ranking 49th out of 84 countries. The stark disparity highlights a “structural, multi-generational shift” in mental health that researchers believe is more than just a temporary effect of recent events such as the pandemic.Tara Thiagarajan, founder and chief scientist of Sapien Labs, said: “These scores reflect a sharp decline among younger generations, greater than the decline seen in many other countries around the world. While those over 55 are doing well, younger adults are seriously struggling.”“This reflects declines in the factors we outline in our study, as well as a number of others, as well as increases in toxic loads in the environment (air, water, food) and lack of physical activity,” she added.The study said the mental health crisis among young people in India goes beyond issues such as anxiety and depression and reflects a broader decline in core psychological functions, including the ability to regulate emotions, maintain attention, build stable relationships and recover from stress.Based on data generated in previous years, the study identified four key drivers of mental health – family bonds, spirituality, consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and early exposure to smartphones. In India, 64% of respondents in the 18-34 age group reported being close to family, compared with 78% of those aged 55 and above.Although relatively low compared to some other countries, regular UPF consumption among India’s youth (44%) is much higher than among the older generation (11%). The average age of first smartphone in India is 16.5 years, and for the Alpha generation, this number is expected to be much lower as early exposure to smartphones increases mental health risks.Globally, young people in economically developed countries are more likely to suffer from mental health difficulties than those in less developed countries, research has found. Countries at the bottom include Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and China, while countries with relatively better mental health outcomes are mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Tanzania. Finland consistently ranks high in the World Happiness Index, ranking 28th for mental health among people over 55 and 40th for mental health among people aged 18-34, suggesting that satisfaction with life circumstances is not the same as the mental ability to cope with life’s challenges.The Mental Health Quotient is an indicator that summarizes respondents’ ratings of 47 cognitive, emotional, social and physical abilities and issues that affect our ability to function effectively. Sapien Labs says the scale reflects a person’s basic mental abilities.