More Swiss youth turn to AI for mental health support

Concerned young people seek help from KI Keystone-SDA

Children and young people are worried about the world and the future, according to the second youth study by Pro Juventute. According to the study, young female migrants are under particularly heavy pressure.

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At 88%, a large majority of the young people surveyed stated that they felt mentally well, as the Swiss foundation Pro Juventute announced on Monday. At the same time, around one tenth said they were undergoing psychotherapeutic treatment at the time of the survey.

School stress was once again the main source of pressure. Compared to the first survey in 2024, respondents were increasingly worried about their professional future. A third stated that school and training had not prepared them well for life.

Worries about wars had also increased significantly: 40% felt burdened by this. In the first survey, the proportion was 25%.

Migrant women under particular pressure

According to the study, girls and women are significantly worse off than male respondents. They are more affected by stress and worries about their own future and global developments. They were also more likely to talk about their problems than male respondents.

There were also major differences between young people with a migration background and respondents whose parents both come from Switzerland. The former suffered more from pressure at school and at home and more frequently reported worries about money and their future. Young people with a migration background were also more frequently affected by discrimination.

Mobile phone challenges

At the same time, fewer young people stated that they were able to solve their own problems. When faced with problems, one in ten of those surveyed said they would turn to artificial intelligence for help. A similar number sought support from specialist agencies and counselling services.

Some 26% of respondents said that social media or games had a positive effect on their mood. Around a quarter stated that they continued to use digital media despite the negative consequences, and one in five people considered their own media consumption to be problematic.

Pro Juventute conducted the youth study for the second time in collaboration with the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich. Almost a thousand adolescents and young adults between the ages of 14 and 25 were asked about their mental health and media behaviour.

Translated from German by AI/jdp

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