Young people are faring better in countries like Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya than they are in the U.S., a new Sapien Labs study of 1 million people ages 18 and older in 84 countries found.
Researchers based their results on what they refer to as “mind health,” a metric reflecting people’s ability to function in daily life based on cognitive, emotional and physical abilities. They found that on a mind health quotient (MHQ) scale of -100 (distressed) to 200 (thriving), 18-to 34-year-olds in Ghana scored 69, while young Americans scored 36.
The top five countries for young people’s mind health were Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Tanzania.
When it comes to well-being and the ability to function, a country’s “wealth was not an indicator at all,” says Tara Thiagarajan, founder and chief scientist of Sapien Labs.
Here’s why they found young people in the U.S. are doing so much worse, and what policymakers and parents can do to improve their ability to function.
