Born This Way Foundation turned to BSG to conduct a nationwide survey of approximately 3,000 young people ages 15 to 24 and 1,000 parents of young people to explore how a young person’s mental health is impacted by factors including their relationships and environment as well as the presence or absence of kindness in their lives. Some of our key findings include:
Kindness matters. Young people who describe their environments as kind are more likely to be mentally healthy. That’s true for youth in high schools, colleges, and the workplace.
Peers are crucial. Youth rely on a small set of close friends for support. And while young people also talk with their parents about important issues, parents don’t necessarily understand what’s going on with their children emotionally or what they’re willing to discuss.
Mental health resources make a difference. Young people with access to tangible resources are more mentally healthy. Furthermore, youth want to empower themselves with knowledge and skills to support their own wellness – and assist a friend who might be in crisis – but we need to do a better job providing those resources.