Youth Futures Foundation · 2025
This technical report investigates the drivers behind observed increases in young people's mental health problems in England, drawing on longitudinal survey data (Understanding Society and CPRD) and a series of systematic literature reviews. The quantitative analysis examines trends in mental health symptoms by subgroup (gender, ethnicity, income, region), tests whether measurement of symptoms has changed over time, and assesses whether the impact of mental distress on adverse outcomes (e.g. NEET status) has shifted. Ten theoretical drivers are evaluated — including academic pressure, economic conditions, COVID-19, social media use, and cuts to children and youth services — reviewing the strength of evidence for each as a causal contributor to worsening mental health. The report finds that increases in psychological distress are real rather than primarily artefacts of measurement change, are most pronounced among girls and White British young people, and are likely driven by a combination of factors rather than any single cause.