The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of young people – Policy responses in European countries

Within the “Youth Wiki” project, a report on youth mental health in EU is published.

The COVID-19 pandemic has represented a serious threat to mental health, in particular among young people. The shift from face-to-face to online learning, the restrictions to leisure and sport activities and the partial or complete interruption of social participation have heavily disrupted interpersonal relations. Coupled with longer time spent online and on social media, many young people have experienced the feeling of isolation and loneliness, suffered from anxiety and reported depressive symptoms.

This report takes stock of the deterioration of youth mental health caused by isolation and suspension of in-person activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, and illustrates the policy measures that have been put in place by Member States to mitigate the impact of lockdowns. The analysis offers a comparative overview of the approaches followed by countries to support young people’s resilience and wellbeing in a variety of fields – from education to sport, from youth work to leisure. The comparative analysis is accompanied by a selection of good practices from countries. The report is based on information on national policies and initiatives implemented in 2020 and 2021, collected by the Youth Wiki’s National Correspondents in March 2022.

The report is available here.