Diagnosing Mental Health Environment from a Youth Perspective: Mental Health Korea Youth Committee Launches Survey

The Youth Committee of Mental Health Korea is initiating a comprehensive survey to assess the mental health support environment for adolescents across the country.

Twelve youth committee members, who have experienced diverse life circumstances, have designed the evaluation criteria and questions for this large-scale survey. Targeting over 1,000 adolescents nationwide, the project aims to position young people not merely as recipients of policy but as active participants in diagnosis and research. This initiative seeks to understand the mental health landscape from their unique viewpoints.

The committee acknowledges that while mental health policies have expanded to include screening, counseling, treatment support, and prevention education, issues like adolescent depression and suicide risk persist. This is often due to a lack of trust in confidentiality, fear of social stigma, and concerns about disadvantages, preventing young people from seeking help.

“

We plan to diagnose the mental health support environment for adolescents nationwide through a large-scale survey of over 1,000 young people.

Therefore, the Youth Committee is focusing on diagnosing and improving the school and social "environment" that enables adolescents to safely seek assistance, rather than solely viewing mental health as an individual treatment issue. The survey will cover three key areas: school mental health, digital environment experiences, and insights from the future generation. It will examine factors such as a sense of belonging within schools, experiences with online counseling, and support gaps during school dropout processes.

The survey and in-depth interviews will be conducted until August 31. The results will be analyzed and released on October 10, coinciding with World Mental Health Day, through a report and an online platform called 'Youth MH Map Korea.' The committee also plans to develop practical resources, including a guide for schools and digital safety recommendations, to be presented to relevant government ministries and agencies as policy references.

“

The survey was designed by 12 youth committee members who have experienced diverse life circumstances, positioning adolescents as active participants in diagnosis and research.