Researchers at the University of Zurich evaluated open-ended written responses from 1,442 participants in a long-term study. Each person answered questions at ages 15, 17, 20 and 24. The team applied automated language-processing methods to sort thousands of free-text answers into coherent topic groups for analysis.
The study found that most events young people named were positive: 83% were described in positive terms. The leading topics were school, training and apprenticeships (almost half of all mentions); friendships and romantic relationships (around 12%); personal development and mental well-being (about 8%); and travel and stays abroad (approximately 7%).
Researchers reported clear changes from adolescence to early adulthood: in middle adolescence, school, friendships and leisure dominated; later, education, work, relationships and independence became more prominent, while sport and going out were mentioned less. Participants with more severe anxiety or depression referred more often to stressful relationships, conflicts, loss and failures, and less often to positive events such as travel and educational achievements.
The authors note some differences by gender, social background and migration experience, though the main topics were similar across groups. David Bürgin and Lilly Shanahan highlighted that youth is not mainly made up of crises and recommended that support services broaden their focus to include stable relationships, positive experiences and chances to gain self-efficacy. The study appears in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and is a collaboration between the Jacobs Center and the Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Prevention Institute at UZH, supported by the UZH Population Research Center Seed Grants Program.
Difficult words
- open-ended — Not limited; allows free written answers
- automated — Done by computer systems without manual work
- adolescence — The period between childhood and adulthood
- apprenticeship — A training position combining work and studyapprenticeships
- anxiety — A feeling of worry or nervousness
- self-efficacy — Belief in one's ability to achieve goals
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How might support services change if they focus more on stable relationships and positive experiences?
- Why do you think school, training and apprenticeships were the leading topics for young people in the study?
- What reasons could explain differences in topics by social background or migration experience?
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