Malaysia's elders doing well, youth struggle - Study

 

Malaysia’s young adults aged 18 to 34 were grouped in the 30-40 MHQ score band, placing them among countries where younger populations are struggling significantly compared to older generations - NSTP FILE PIC, FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's older adults are among the world's better-performing populations in terms of mental functioning and well-being, according to a major global report assessing the "Mind Health" of Internet-enabled adults.

However, the country's younger generation is placed in a lower score band.

The Mental State of the World in 2024 report, produced under Sapien Labs' Global Mind Project, found that Malaysia is among the countries where adults aged 55 and above recorded an average Mind Health Quotient (MHQ) score above 110, a level associated with normal functioning and the ability to cope with everyday stress.

Other countries with similar scores included Singapore, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Mexico.

The study uses MHQ to assess various aspects of participants' mental health, categorising scores from 'thriving' to 'distressed'.

However, Malaysia's young adults aged 18 to 34 were grouped in the 30-40 MHQ score band, placing them among countries where younger populations are struggling significantly compared to older generations.

Unlike earlier editions, the 2024 report did not rank countries by overall mental well-being.

Instead, it placed countries into broad MHQ groupings, citing concerns that small differences between scores are often not statistically meaningful and could mislead readers.

In its 2023 report, Malaysia was named the fifth-happiest country globally.

The report noted that overall country results could be skewed by population age structure, prompting the shift towards comparing age groups across countries rather than using a single ranking.

Globally, older adults (55 and above) across 82 countries recorded an average MHQ score of 101, close to the expected norm of 100. In contrast, younger adults (18–34) across 79 countries posted an average MHQ score of 38, with 41 per cent classified as "distressed or struggling", meaning they experienced multiple symptoms severe enough to significantly impair daily functioning.

The report described this as a consistent global pattern: older adults tend to be doing relatively well, while younger generations face declining mental health and functioning, differing mainly in the degree of decline in each country.

It suggested that the causes behind the decline among younger generations are complex and interconnected, pointing to factors such as smartphone exposure, an increasingly socially disconnected culture, and potential impacts from environmental and chemical exposures.

The report also warned that despite rising mental health spending in some Western countries, the decline among younger generations persists, indicating the need for prevention strategies that address root causes rather than focusing solely on treatment. - NST