REGINA, Sask. — New research is highlighting significant declines in mental health among Canadian adolescents, with migrant girls experiencing some of the sharpest changes. But researchers say there are opportunities to reverse that trend by creating more inclusive communities and making support easier for young people to access.
A study led by University of Regina researcher Daniel Ji examined the experiences of more than 76,000 students across Canada between 2014 and 2022. It found declining life satisfaction, self-confidence and self-rated health, alongside increases in sadness and recurring physical complaints.
The changes were particularly pronounced among migrant girls.
“Compared to 10 years ago, mental health has declined for all youth, but the declines were even worse for migrant youth,” Ji said. “And among migrant youth, migrant girls experienced the largest decline.”
The percentage of migrant girls reporting high life satisfaction fell from 25.7 per cent in 2014 to 19.9 per cent in 2022. The proportion who rated their health as good or excellent dropped from 81.6 per cent to 68.2 per cent.
Meanwhile, the percentage who reported feeling so sad or hopeless for at least two weeks that they stopped doing their usual activities rose from 32.9 per cent to 44 per cent. More than half also reported multiple recurring health complaints in 2022, including headaches, stomach aches, sleep difficulties and nervousness, up from 35.7 per cent eight years earlier.
The research included 76,856 students between the ages of 11 and 15 who participated in the national Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey. Researchers compared results from 2014, 2018 and 2022, looking at migrant and Canadian-born students.
For the purposes of the study, migrant youth were identified as students born outside Canada. The researchers could not determine participants' immigration status, how long they had lived in Canada or the circumstances surrounding their arrival.
The findings are based on students' own assessments of their health and well-being, rather than clinical diagnoses. However, Ji said the indicators are important because they can signal more serious challenges.
The research team also brought together a youth advisory group to help interpret the findings and identify some of the pressures young people may be facing.
Participants pointed to stigma surrounding mental health, cultural expectations and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some suggested migrant youth may hesitate to talk about emotional struggles because of how mental illness is viewed within their communities.
“The youth advisory pointed out that there may be stigma associated with mental health concerns for migrant youth, and that fear is rooted in cultural views about mental illness,” Ji said.
One boy in the group described a perceived attitude among some migrant boys that they should appear unaffected by mental health struggles, as if saying, “not crazy, I'm fine.”
The pandemic may have added to those pressures. Ji said youth identified COVID-19 as a significant factor, while researchers also raised concerns about a possible increase in anti-Asian sentiment during that period.
However, the advisory group's discussions also revealed encouraging signs of resilience and cultural pride. Young people described embracing their traditions and cultural identities, including wearing cultural clothing that may once have exposed them to ridicule.
For Ji, those experiences point to the importance of creating environments where young people feel accepted and comfortable expressing who they are.
The study also found some differences that researchers believe deserve further attention. In 2022, migrant girls reported higher self-confidence than Canadian-born girls, while migrant adolescents reported fewer recurring health complaints than their Canadian-born peers.
Ji said those findings could reflect resilience, but they need to be interpreted carefully. Some migrant youth may be drawing strength from their experiences, while others may be less likely to report symptoms because of stigma or cultural expectations.
“One could be that there's something in the literature called the healthy immigrant effect,” he said. “They may face more adversity, but they may also have more resilience.”
He stressed that the study cannot determine whether students were experiencing specific mental health conditions. Still, the trends are a reason to act before young people's difficulties become more serious.
Ji sees schools as an important part of the solution. Because students are already there, schools can provide a familiar and accessible place to connect with mental health services, regardless of family income or immigration status.
He said programs also need to reflect the cultural experiences of the students they serve, while protecting their privacy so young people feel safe asking for help.
Ji believes partnerships between schools and community-based mental health organizations could help reach students who might otherwise face barriers to support.
Beyond formal services, he said communities can make a difference by helping young people develop connections and take part in activities that build confidence and a sense of purpose. Sports, volunteering and opportunities to celebrate cultural traditions can all contribute to a stronger sense of belonging.
The research emphasizes that schools and communities have a role to play in making inclusion part of everyday life, rather than leaving young people to navigate those challenges on their own.
While the study documents a troubling period for adolescent mental health, Ji hopes its findings will help encourage practical changes.
“We really do need to invest in the types of interventions that are relevant, culturally safe, free, ideally and especially confidential, to kind of make sure they're not getting further left behind,” he said.
