Mental well-being of young people on Gotland: A research-based regional development project
On Gotland, six out of ten young people in lower and upper secondary school report moderate or low mental well-being. At the same time, many of them show no clear signs of mental health problems. Good mental well-being is important for coping with life’s challenges, personal development, and overall quality of life. Young people who do not experience high levels of mental well-being are at greater risk of both mental and physical health problems. To strengthen young people’s mental well-being, effective interventions that are perceived as meaningful by young people themselves are needed. In response, a research-based regional development project is being conducted on Gotland: “Preparatory Study for an Action Plan to Promote Young People’s Mental Well-being on Gotland.” Running until June 2026, the project aims to explore potential local measures to strengthen young people’s mental well-being. As part of the project, seven young people aged 13–22 have worked in the project for 15 months and have been actively involved in planning, data collection, analysis, and dissemination of the project’s findings.
Details
- Period: 2024-12-16 – 2026-06-30
- Funder: Region Gotland, Länsförsäkringar Gotland, Church of Sweden Visby Parish and the research group Chap at Uppsala University
This regional research-based development project is owned by Region Gotland and the CHAP research group is responsible for implementing the research in the project.
Project Studies and Workshop
Five scientific studies and one workshop have been conducted within the project. Studies II and III, as well as the workshop, were carried out in collaboration with the young co-researchers. Studies I, IV, and V were conducted by students at Uppsala University under the supervision of the project’s lead researcher.
- Study I aimed to: (a) investigate mental health status among young people, and (b) examine self-reported mental health problems, self-rated general health, and healthcare utilization among young people with vulnerable mental health, that is, those reporting moderate to low mental well-being despite the absence of symptoms of severe psychological distress.
- Study II aimed to explore young people’s views on what can be done in society to promote youth mental well-being. The study was conducted jointly with the young co-researchers.
- Workshop with youthHansa aimed to explore what young people from European countries believe needs be done in society to promote youth mental well-being. The youthHansa is the youth network of the Hanseatic League.
- Study III aimed to describe examples of interventions on Gotland to promote young people’s mental well-being.
- Study IV aimed to explore how young people perceive an activity focused on existential health and how they experience its impact on their mental well-being.
- Study V aimed to explore how school nurses describe their efforts to promote young people’s mental well-being and how they perceive their capacity to engage in this work.
Results
The project has generated knowledge about the measures that young people believe are needed, as well as the initiatives that are already being implemented in society to promote young people’s mental well-being. Based on the findings from the project’s five studies and workshop, the young co-researchers, with support from researchers and project facilitator, developed a set of recommendations for society on how to promote young people’s mental well-being.
Below the project report, “How Can Young People’s Mental Well-being Be Promoted in Society?” presents the findings from all five studies and the workshop, as well as the young co-researchers’ 53 recommendations.
Those working in the project
Veronica Hermann, associated researcher at CHAP and public health strategist in Region Gotland
Georgina Warner, associate professor and researcher at CHAP
Tove Törnqvist, organisation developer at Region Gotland
Seven co-researchers ages 13-20
Contact
Please reach out to Veronica Hermann if you have any questions
