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By Doris Obinna
Young adults in sub-Saharan Africa have been ranked highest globally in mental well-being, even as a growing share of youth worldwide face what researchers describe as a “mind health crisis,” according to the 2025 Global Mind Health Report released last week by Sapien Labs.
The study, based on survey data from nearly one million internet-enabled adults across 84 countries, found that 41 per cent of people aged 18 to 34 are struggling with significant cognitive, emotional, social and physical challenges that impair their ability to function effectively in daily life.
Despite the global decline, according to the report, several African nations topped the rankings; Ghana placed first overall, followed by Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Tanzania. Researchers noted that the top five countries were all African.
In contrast, higher-income nations including the United States, Canada, parts of Europe, India, Japan and Australia ranked near the bottom for youth mind health.
The report highlights a sharp generational reversal. In the early 2000s, young adults had the strongest well-being of any age group. Today, they are four times more likely than adults over 55 to experience mental health challenges of clinical significance.
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According to founder and chief scientist of Sapien Labs and lead author of the report, Tara Thiagarajan, the crisis extends beyond rising rates of depression and anxiety. “We assessed a wide range of capacities essential for navigating life’s challenges and found that many young adults are struggling,” she said, citing difficulties in emotional control, relationships and focus.
The study identifies four main factors linked to poorer outcomes: early smartphone adoption in childhood, high consumption of ultra-processed foods, weakened family bonds and diminished spirituality. In sub-Saharan Africa, respondents reported later access to smartphones, stronger family connections and higher levels of spirituality, factors researchers suggest may help protect mental well-being. Tanzania ranked highest globally in measures of spirituality.
Sapien Labs used its Mind Health Quotient (MHQ) to measure overall mental functioning. Across countries, older adults consistently scored higher than younger generations, a gap that first emerged before the COVID-19 pandemic and widened during 2020 and 2021.
The findings carry economic implications, experts warn. A professor at Dartmouth College, David Blanchflower said the scale of youth distress could undermine national productivity. “When almost half of young adults globally are struggling, we are facing a crisis that can affect entire economies and societies,” he said.
Researchers also found that among 18- to 24-year-olds, those who received their first smartphone at younger ages were significantly more likely to report distress as adults. Similarly, consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with a measurable decline in mind health scores, even after accounting for other lifestyle and socioeconomic factors.
