Ireland’s Teenagers Are Some Of The Least Happy In The Developed World
Ireland’s Teenagers Are Some Of The Least Happy In The Developed World
The report found that Ireland’s youth suicide rate was also above the international average.
A new UN report by UNICEF has shown that teenagers in Ireland are among some of the least happy in the developed world. The report, titled Report Card 19: Child Wellbeing at Risk in an Unpredictable World, pointed out that while Irish teenagers are succeeding in school and academics, nearly one in three 15 year olds reported low levels of life satisfaction.
The study drew on official data from 43 OECD and European Union countries. It found that Ireland’s youth suicide rate was also above the international average.
“These findings are stark. Ireland’s teens are succeeding in school, but struggling in life. We must match our investment in academic achievement with the same urgency for mental and emotional wellbeing,” UNICEF Ireland Executive Director Peter Power
The report also examined changes from 2018 to 2022, identifying a sharp decline in adolescent well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic. The report demonstrated how school closures and social isolation had a particularly negative impact on mental health. Among 26 countries with sufficient data, 22 saw a drop in adolescent life satisfaction.
Additionally, the report found that over 25% of children and young adolescents were overweight or obese.
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