Youth discontent more fleeting than expected

Preliminary results from a wellbeing survey by researchers at the Rockwool Foundation show significant fluctuations in the discontent experienced by young people. According to Signe Hald Andersen, one of the researchers, youth discontent is often not permanent but instead comes and goes. The study followed 133 young people over three months, asking them 14 questions on their wellbeing bi-weekly. Initially, 28 percent indicated discontent, yet by the end only a quarter of these remained discontented, with around 7 percent showing consistent signs of discontent throughout. The pilot project, focused on 18-year-olds from the Capital Region’s educational institutions, suggests that discontent is transient, despite the small and localized sample. Andersen hopes for support to conduct a larger study for more conclusive evidence. The survey included indicators such as stress, loneliness, mental wellbeing, life satisfaction, and self-assessed health.