Enhancing adolescent social and emotional well‑being

Executive summary

The paper examines policy challenges in supporting the social and emotional well-being of adolescents, a period marked by heightened vulnerability and distinct risks across population groups. It highlights the need to understand these differences and the environments shaping them in order to design effective policy responses.

Drawing on evidence on young people aged approximately 11 to 15, the paper focuses on differences between boys and girls in reported well-being, mental health, and behaviours. It examines how developmental processes interact with social expectations and with the family, school, community and digital environments, and discusses the implications for policy design, service delivery and measurement.

The analysis shows that boys and girls experience distinct patterns of risk in terms of socio-emotional difficulties. Among 11-year-olds, 13-year-olds and 15-year-olds, girls are between 1.65 and 2.5 times more likely than boys to report low life satisfaction and face higher risks of anxiety and depression, alongside greater concerns about body image and higher rates of self-harm. Boys, by contrast, are more exposed to externalising problems such as conduct disorders, are more likely to engage in aggressive and risk-taking behaviours and face a greater risk of death by suicide.

Social norms emerge as an important factor shaping these outcomes. While norms can provide structure and guidance during identity formation, they may also impose restrictive expectations that conflict with adolescents’ experiences. Pressures related to appearance can intensify body dissatisfaction and social comparison, while other expectations may discourage help-seeking, contribute to educational disengagement and increase behavioural risks. In some circumstances, adherence to these norms may itself become a coping mechanism.

Implications for policy and evidence

• Support should be strengthened across the multiple environments shaping adolescents’ lives. Families remain central to adolescent well-being, yet many face constraints in time and material resources, and around one-third of adolescents across the OECD report difficulties communicating with their parents. Schools provide structured settings for learning and support, community spaces offer opportunities for social connection and positive role models, and digital environments increasingly influence norms, expectations and social comparisons, calling for greater attention to safety and design.

• Prevention and early identification should be prioritised through tiered systems of support. Low-threshold initiatives and mechanisms to detect early signs of distress can help address difficulties before they become more severe. Strengthening families’ ability to recognise emerging problems and communicate effectively with their children, alongside expanding school-based and community-based support, can improve timely access to assistance and prevent difficulties from becoming persistent.

• The evidence base on effective and tailored interventions needs to be strengthened. More research is required to better understand the distinct challenges faced by boys and girls, identify effective approaches across multiple domains of adolescents’ lives, and ensure timely access to appropriate support. Particular attention could be given to understanding how to prevent antisocial behaviours and how to promote healthy digital experiences through supportive parenting practices and safer online environments.