Addressing Intergenerational Injustice's Impact on Youth Mental Health

Introduction: Today's young people face unique challenges, such as high debt, precarious employment, unaffordable housing, and environmental crises, while facing reduced government support compared to older generations. This disparity, known as intergenerational injustice, may affect young people's mental health, yet the subjective impact of this injustice on young people's mental health remains unexplored. This study investigates how young people experience intergenerational injustice and its mental health implications. Methods: We used a qualitative descriptive approach, focusing closely on the participants' experiences while also facilitating a comprehensive interpretation of the findings. Participants (n = 8) included young people between the ages of 18 and 30 living in the UK and were recruited using snowball sampling and social media. Interviews were conducted digitally, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using thematic analysis to generate themes. Results: Participants described how various forms of insecurity impacted their mental health. Of note, participants highlighted the combined and cumulative toll of financial, employment and housing insecurity gave rise to feelings of anxiety, depression. These insecurities not only delayed but also negatively impacted key life decisions (e.g., pursuing education, starting a family), which in turn further affected participants’ mental health. Participants described a sense of hopelessness and feeling abandoned by the government considering these overlapping crises. Discussion: Issues related to intergenerational injustice may be exerting a negative impact on the lives of young people which may have important implications for their mental health. Policy and decision makers should take note of and develop concrete solutions to address these challenges.