Kenya Ranks Third in Youth Mental Health According to Sapien Lab Report

A new global analysis of nearly one million respondents across 84 countries showed that 41 percent of internet-enabled young adults aged 18 to 34 are experiencing what researchers describe as a “mental health crisis.” The findings point to declines in cognitive, emotional, social, and physical capacities that significantly affect young people’s ability to manage everyday challenges.

Despite the concerning global trend, the report revealed a sharp regional contrast. Several African nations — including Kenya — rank among the strongest performers in youth mental health outcomes, outperforming many higher-income countries in the latest assessment by Sapien Labs.

Additionally, Kenya ranks among the top-performing countries globally, placing within the top five alongside Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania, a group that positions Africa at the forefront of youth mental health according to the report.

According to the Global Mental Health 2025 report by Sapien Labs, this generational shift is linked to several interconnected factors. These include early smartphone exposure during childhood, rising consumption of ultra-processed foods, weakening family relationships, and declining levels of spirituality. Countries were assessed and ranked across each of these dimensions to better understand their influence on overall youth mental health.

“The mental health crisis appears to be a progressive slide from generation to generation and goes far beyond rising rates of depression and anxiety,” said Tara Thiagarajan, Ph.D., lead author of the report and Sapien Labs’ founder and chief scientist. “We assessed a wide range of capacities essential for navigating life’s challenges and found that many young adults are struggling. Alongside depression and anxiety, they often experience challenges across emotional control, handling relationships with others, and their ability to focus.”

According to the findings by Sapien Lab , Kenya ranks among the top countries worldwide in youth mental health outcomes, showing improvement compared to previous years.  Researchers noted that factors such as sustained spiritual engagement, relatively later smartphone adoption among children, and close-knit family structures  are playing a role in supporting the well-being of Kenyan youth amid a broader global decline.

Using its global survey data, Sapien Labs developed a Mental Health Quotient (MHQ) — a composite measure assessing an individual’s emotional, social, cognitive, and physical capacities needed to navigate work, relationships, and daily life effectively.

The findings showed clear geographic disparities, with young adults in sub-Saharan Africa outperforming their peers in many higher-income regions. Within this context, Kenya stood out as one of the stronger-performing countries, reflecting comparatively higher scores across key protective factors such as spirituality and later exposure to smartphones during childhood. While Kenyan youth rank favourably on the global scale, the report noted that, as in other countries, young adults still record lower mental health scores than older generations.

The report outlines targeted policy measures that could help protect youth mental health, particularly by addressing early smartphone exposure and the growing consumption of ultra-processed foods — issues that are increasingly relevant in Kenya’s rapidly digitising and urbanising society.

According to Sapien Labs, one key recommendation is the wider enforcement of school-hour smartphone bans and the introduction of minimum age requirements for social media access to limit early digital exposure.

On diet, the report urges  for greater investment in research to better understand the health effects of the artificial colours, flavourings, preservatives, emulsifiers, and other additives commonly found in ultra-processed foods. Such evidence could support stronger regulations and public health policies aimed at reducing their consumption — an issue gaining attention as fast food and packaged snacks are becoming more common among Kenyan youth.

Furthermore, Kenya’s notable achievement in the Global Mental Health 2025 report underscored the country’s resilience in youth well-being. With an average Mental Health Quotient (MHQ) of 107 among adults aged 55 and 63 for young adults aged 18–34, Kenya ranks tied for third out of 84 countries surveyed.

While the scores highlight the protective role of factors such as spirituality, family bonds, and smartphone adoption, the gap between younger and older generations also signals areas for continued attention. Strengthening policies around digital use and healthy diets is likely going to help ensure that Kenya’s youth maintain and build on this positive trajectory in mental health.

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