Sapien Labs Releases the Global Mind Health In 2025 Report
February 25, 2026
Washington, D.C. (February 26, 2026) — Today, Sapien Labs announced the release of its Global Mind Health in 2025 Report (formerly the Mental State of the World Report). With data collected from some 1 million people in 84 countries, the report reveals that 41% of the world’s Internet-enabled young adults (ages 18-34) now face a “mind health crisis” that substantially impairs their ability to navigate a constellation of cognitive, emotional, social and physical challenges and live a fully productive life.
Key Findings:
– The global MHQ stands at 66. However, while adults 55+ remain at the normally expected MHQ score of 101 with ~10% experiencing clinically significant mental health challenges, each younger generation scores lower with those 18-34 having an average MHQ of 36 and 41% experiencing clinically significant mental health challenges.
– Geographically, young adults 18-34 fare best in Sub-Saharan African countries and worst in wealthier countries. 6 out of the top 10 countries are in Sub-Saharan Africa and include Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya and Nigeria, while the bottom 10 include the UK, New Zealand, and Japan.
-This report also looks at four of the major causes of diminished mind health in young adults 18-34: family bonds, spirituality, smartphones, and ultra-processed food consumption.
“The mind health crisis appears to be a progressive slide from generation to generation and goes far beyond rising rates of depression and anxiety in young adults,” said Tara Thiagarajan, Ph.D., lead author of the report and Sapien Labs’ founder and chief scientist. “The Global Mind Project asked respondents to assess a wide range of capacities that are essential for navigating life’s daily challenges as well as problems spanning major mental health disorders. We found that alongside struggles with depression and anxiety, young adults often experience challenges on many other fronts, from emotional control to handling relationships with others to their ability to focus.”
About Sapien Labs:
Sapien Labs is a non-profit organization that is focused on understanding the impact of our rapidly changing social, technological, and chemical environment on our brains and minds. The Global Mind Project is the largest and most comprehensive ongoing global data acquisition projects that tracks 47 aspects of mind health and a range of environmental and lifestyle factors across 85+ countries in 25 languages.
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