Report identifies risk factors for young people’s mental health and well-being
Published on: 23 Sep 2026
Issues such as poor sleep, being bullied, negative body image, friendship difficulties and academic pressure are all linked to worse mental health and well-being among young people in Wales.
That’s according to a new report from Public Health Wales, which uses data from the Secondary School Children’s Health and Well-being report from the Schools Health Research Network (SHRN) to gain an unrivalled insight into the physical and mental health and well-being of young people. More than 100,000 learners have taken part in the biannual survey, which asks about a wide range of aspects of young people’s lives, such as their well-being, emotional and behavioural difficulties, sleep, school experiences and health behaviours.
The report shows that mental health and well-being are different but related. Mental health difficulties include things like anxiety, low mood, attention or hyperactivity challenges, and issues with peers. Well-being reflects feeling connected, valued, hopeful and able to cope with general day-to-day pressures. Mental health impacts on well-being, and vice versa. Research, including by the World Health Organization, show that both are important considerations for understanding young people.
The report looked at how well-being scores varied across different types of mental health difficulty, and then checked to see if the pattern stayed the same accounting for variables such as age, sex, deprivation, sleep, academic pressures, bullying, and perceived support.
The data showed that as mental health difficulties increased, then well-being decreased in a clear, graded pattern, and this held true across the full spectrum of those difficulties. Those young people who were dealing with the highest emotional challenges showed the lowest well-being overall. There were similar, although less strong, patterns among those young people with behavioural and attention-related difficulties.
The study found that there were several factors associated with higher mental health difficulties and lower well-being which could be addressed, with appropriate support. These included difficulties sleeping, academic pressures, being bullied, peer problems, negative body image and lower perceived support from teachers or friends.
In fact, the survey found that difficulties sleeping showed the strongest associations with both higher mental health difficulties and lower well-being. The report says that it had one of the “broadest and substantial impacts” on young people’s mental health and well-being.
While it is widely understood that late night screen time and scrolling on social media has a negative impact on sleep, the report clearly shows that sleep itself has a vital role in young people’s overall health and well-being.
The report also highlighted the importance of schools to young people’s mental health and well-being, and that a whole-system approach is vital to ensure that young people receive early support.
Emily van de Venter, Consultant in Health Improvement at Public Health Wales, said: “This report demonstrates that young people in Wales face a range of risk factors for their mental health and well-being, but also shows that by targeting those risk factors early, then improvements can be made.
“The importance of sleep in particular is interesting, as both a cause and symptom of reduced mental health and well-being. Introducing effective sleep hygiene measures – such as avoiding screen time in the hour before sleep, having a regular bedtime routine and being physically active during the day, can make a significant impact on our mental health and well-being.
“The report also shows that by promoting a system-wide approach to young people’s mental health and well-being then it will have a benefit to those affected by poor mental health and well-being. Parents and carers, schools and the wider health system all have a role to play in helping young people in Wales increase their overall mental health and well-being.”
The report is one of a suite of three reports.