Possible explanations for the upward trend in mental distress among adolescents in Norway from 2011 to 2024

An upward trend in self-reported mental distress among adolescents has been documented in Norway and several other countries, yet the causes remain unclear. This study aims to identify potential explanations for this trend by testing hypothesized factors using repeated cross-sectional data.

We analyzed responses from 979,043 Norwegian adolescents, collected across 1417 municipality level surveys between 2011 and 2024. Eight explanatory factors with prior evidence of association with mental distress were examined: family financial difficulty, evenings spent at home, physical inactivity, bullying victimization, dissatisfaction with parents, social media use, cannabis use, and school dissatisfaction. Following a published epidemiological framework, we assessed changes in prevalence, virulence (strength of association), and the degree to which each factor statistically explained the trend in mental distress.

Mental distress increased significantly for both sexes over time. Increased school dissatisfaction accounted for a large share of the observed trend. Time spent on social media, also explained a part of the trend. Spending more evenings at home and cannabis use contributed modestly. Other factors, including financial difficulty, bullying victimization, physical inactivity, and dissatisfaction with parents, showed limited explanatory value.

The rising trend in adolescent mental distress in Norway appears most plausibly linked to growing school dissatisfaction, with a possible contributory role of social media use. These findings underscore the need for further research into school-related factors and adolescent digital experiences, as well as preventive measures.