Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing

Young people’s mental health is one of the key issues of our time—not only for individuals, but for the future of society as a whole. As the population ages and younger age cohorts shrink, the wellbeing and inclusion of every young person becomes increasingly important. A thriving younger generation is the foundation of sustainable population development and society.

Projects within the DEMOGRAPHY research programme have examined the links between young people’s mental health and education, family life, social relationships, and identity development. The research shows that mental health problems can increase school dropouts, hinder engagement in education and working life, and reduce family formation and fertility. At the same time, protective factors such as a clear sense of identity, social support, and strong family ties emerge as important in preventing mental health problems and supporting young people’s wellbeing.

This page brings together the latest research from the DEMOGRAPHY programme that sheds light on the connections between mental health, education, family, and identity, and deepens the understanding of why youth mental health is a decisive issue for the future of the entire population.

Publications

de Bel, V., & Widmer, E. D. (2024). Positive, negative, and ambivalent dyads and triads with family and friends: A personal network study on how they are associated with young adults’ well-being. Social Networks, 78, 184–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socnet.2024.02.004  

Golovina, K., Elovainio, M., & Hakulinen, C. (2023). Association between depression and the likelihood of having children: a nationwide register study in Finland. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 228(2), 211.e1–211.e11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2022.10.016  

Kailaheimo-Lönnqvist, S., Moustgaard, H., Martikainen, P., & Myrskylä, M. (2024). Own depression, partner’s depression, and childlessness: A nationwide register-based study. Social Science & Medicine, 361, 117356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117356  

Kailaheimo-Lönnqvist. S., & Myrskylä, M. (2025). Mielenterveyshäiriöt yhteydessä lapsettomuuteen – selittävänä tekijänä parisuhteiden puuttuminen ja lyhytkestoisuus [Policy Brief 1/2025]. FLUX: Tietoa päätösten tueksi. Turun yliopisto. https://fluxconsortium.fi/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/PB-Kailaheimo-ym.pdf     

Kiuru, N., Salmela-Aro, K., Laursen, B., Vasalampi, K., Beattie, M., Tunkkari, M. & Junttila, N. (2024). Profiles of Loneliness and Ostracism During Adolescence: Consequences, Antecedents, and Protective Factors. Child Psychiatry Human Development. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-024-01664-8  

Mannerström, R., Sortheix, F. M., Hietajärvi, L., & Salmela-Aro, K. (2025a). Longitudinal associations between personal identity and parenthood among Finnish young adults. Advances in Life Course Research, 64, 100662. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcr.2025.100662  

Mannerström, R., Sortheix, F., Hietajärvi, L., Ilmarinen, V.-J., & Salmela-Aro, K. (2025b). Psykososiaaliset tekijät perheellistymisessä [Policy brief 2/2025]. FLUX-konsortio. Turun yliopisto. https://fluxconsortium.fi/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/PB-Mannerstrom-Sortheix-FI.pdf      

Mannerström, R., Haarala-Muhonen, A., Parpala, A., Litmanen, T., & Hailikari, T. (2024). Identity profiles, motivations for attending university and study-related burnout: Differences between Finnish students in professional and non-professional fields. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 39, 651–669. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-023-00706-4  

Metsä-Simola, N., Baranowska-Rataj, A., Remes, H., Kühn, M., & Martikainen, P. (2024). Grandparental support and maternal depression: Do grandparents’ characteristics matter more for separating mothers? Population Studies, 78(3), 503–523. https://doi.org/10.1080/00324728.2023.2287493  

Pitkänen, J., Junna, L., & Martikainen, P. (2024). Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Episodes and Subsequent Labor Market Trajectories. The Journal of adolescent health: official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 74(6), 1175–1183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.02.001 

Pitkänen, J., Remes, H., Aaltonen, M., & Martikainen, P. (2023). Moderating role of sociodemographic factors in parental psychiatric treatment before and after offspring severe self-harm. Journal of affective disorders, 327, 145-154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.02.015  

Pitkänen, J., Remes, H., Aaltonen, M., & Martikainen, P. (2022). Socioeconomic differences in psychiatric treatment before and after self-harm: an observational study of 4,280 adolescents and young adults. BMC psychiatry, 22(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03654-9  

Read, S., Hietajärvi, L., & Salmela-Aro, K. (2022). School burnout trends and sociodemographic factors in Finland 2006–2019. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 57(9), 1659–1669. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-022-02268-0 

Ringbom, I., Suvisaari, J., Sourander, A., Gissler, M., & Gyllenberg, D. (2024). Temporal changes in the associations between diagnosed psychiatric disorders and dropping out of school early. European child & adolescent psychiatry, 33(5), 1443–1450. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-023-02252-2  

Väänänen, A. (2024). Mielen aikakausi – Kuinka psyykkisestä haavoittuvuudesta tuli osa työelämää? Gaudeamus.