Summary

Despite growing concern for youth mental health, young people’s own definitions of what promotes and sustains their sense of mental well-being remain underrepresented in research and policy. This project addresses this gap by centering youth voices in defining what mental well-being means to them. We began with a systematic literature review to map earlier studies that have investigated this question in Europe, from which we developed a heuristic model. We then conducted a qualitative study with young people (age 15 to 18), co-analyzing this model alongside their own experiences and understandings of mental well-being, stigma, and support. Through these collaborative sessions, young people also identified concrete solutions for improving mental well-being support in various contexts, such as at home, in school, and in society at large. This work produces a tool that recognizes mental well-being as personal, socially embedded, and constantly changing across time and circumstances. Through this work, we amplify young people’s understandings of what it means to be mentally well and make visible where young people’s perspectives challenge existing adult-led frameworks. In continuous conversation with young people, we contribute to shaping more inclusive and responsive research, policy, and practice around youth mental well-being.