UNICEF, through its Global Coalition for Youth Mental Health, had thousands of young people respond to a 15-minute questionnaire to better understand how Gen Z perceives the mental health impacts of news and world events. Questions centered around their feelings and growing concerns, their sense of resilience, determination and capacity for creativity.

Respondents included 2,793 teens aged 14-17 and 2,774 adults aged 18-25 in seven countries: Japan, Mexico, Malaysia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States and South Africa, aiming for a wide spread of age, region, gender and household income level.

The results of the study, shared in a report called Understanding the Mental Health Impact of Global Challenges on Gen Z, launched at the June 2025 Social Innovation Summit in San Francisco, where UNICEF called on the private sector to take note of the findings and get involved.

"Understanding perception is the first step toward meaningful action," the report reads. "If we can listen more deeply — not just to the facts, but to the feelings — we can begin to design and scale solutions that are grounded in empathy and centered on human well-being."

Private sector employers have a unique opportunity to lead on pressing issues related to youth mental health, the report argues as part of its call to action: "Your leadership can drive innovation, shift mindsets and break the silence around mental health — while also enhancing your workforce, communities and brand purpose."

A significant proportion of survey respondents — 74 percent — agreed that schools also have a role in helping Gen Z adolescents and young adults manage the impacts of stress, anxiety or overwhelm related to news or events happening in their community or the world. About 6 in 10 believe schools are already fulfilling that role.

Some more key takeaways from the Gen Z mental health study:

·Gen Z — the most connected generation — consumes news more than any other content, an interest driven by a powerful sense of accountability for the future

·news consumption comes at a cost: 6 in 10 Gen Z youth say they feel overwhelmed by news or events, and this overwhelm is affecting their mental health, well-being and sense of agency

·the 14-17 age group in particular is experiencing an emotional paradox — high feelings of hopefulness coupled with high anxiety and uncertainty

·negative perceptions around people speaking about their mental health persist

·only half of Gen Z feel knowledgeable about mental health resources, and only half feel their coping mechanisms are adequate

·Gen Z recognizes that addressing mental health challenges requires collaboration across generations, sectors and institutions, and they want to be at the head of this table; they are eager to play a key role in shaping the future

In light of these findings, UNICEF calls on the private sector to help advance evidence-based solutions that already exist and are ready to scale. The private sector has a unique opportunity to play a critical role, the report concludes, by championing holistic approaches and partnering with youth, NGOs, and governments to:

·support country level programs that break stigma, promote prevention, expand access to quality services and amplify youth voices

·strengthen data and research to bridge the evidence gap

·promote employee and caregiver well-being through internal strategies

"Mental health must no longer be treated as a side effect of global disruption; it must be part of how we respond, recover and reimagine our future," UNICEF's Global Lead for Mental Health, Zeinab Hijazi, writes in the report's foreword. "We hope this study helps inspire a new urgency — and a shared responsibility — to act."