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Cover image from volume 7 report on adolescent social contexts

Our latest international report

A focus on adolescent social contexts in Europe, Central Asia and Canada

This report from the 2021/2022 HBSC survey reveals concerning trends in adolescent social support, with marked declines in family relationships and rising school pressure, particularly among girls. The findings highlight significant variations across countries, genders and socioeconomic groups, emphasizing the urgent need for strengthening supportive environments for young people’s mental health and well-being.

Latest news

About the study

Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) is a WHO collaborative cross-national study of adolescent health and well-being. Founded in 1982, the survey is undertaken every four years using a self-report questionnaire. HBSC uses findings at national, regional and international levels to:

 

  • gain new insight into young people’s health and well-being;
  • understand the social determinants of health; and
  • inform policy and practice to improve young people’s lives.

Years since the study was founded

Researchers in the network

Member countries IN THE NETWORK

thousand young people surveyed in 2021/22

What do we research and why?

HBSC focuses on understanding young people’s health in their social context – at home, school, and with family and friends. It aims to improve understanding of how these factors, individually and collectively, influence young people’s health throughout adolescence.

The adolescent years are a critical transitional period within the life course during which rapid physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development occurs. These years mark a period of increased autonomy during which health-related behaviours develop and independent decision-making may influence their current and future health.

Behaviours established during this transition period can continue into adulthood, affecting issues such as mental health, substance use, physical activity levels and diet, and longer-term health outcomes. Exposure to alcohol or tobacco use, physical inactivity, unprotected sex or violence, presents risks not only to adolescents’ current health and well-being but also their future health.

The adolescent years, therefore, provide a critical opportunity for prevention and intervention to support young people’s healthy growth and development, promote future health and well-being in adulthood, and, as such, underpin the health of the next generation.

How are data collected?

Data are collected in all participating countries and regions through school-based surveys using a standard methodology detailed in the HBSC international study protocol. Each country or region uses cluster sampling to select a proportion of young people aged 11, 13 and 15, ensuring that the sample is representative of all in the age range. Around 1500 students in each HBSC country or region are selected from each age group. Around 280,000 young people took part in the 2021/22 survey.

Publications

Featured reports

A focus on adolescent social contexts

This report explores young people’s social environments, highlighting declining support systems and rising school pressure, with evidence-based recommendations for strengthening youth well-being.

A focus on adolescent social media use and gaming

This report examines adolescent social media use and gaming behaviours, revealing trends in problematic use and online engagement. The findings provide essential insights to develop targeted interventions promoting healthy digital habits among youth.

Data ACCESS

The HBSC study provides methodologically rigorous, comparative data about the social determinants of health and well-being among young people. HBSC data files are produced from national surveys conducted in each member country using the HBSC research protocol. 

National HBSC data files are submitted to the HBSC Data Management centre and the HBSC International data file is created.

Open access to survey data

Browse, analyse and download nationally representative data from HBSC surveys in 2001/02, 2005/06, 2009/10 and 2013/14. Data from the 2017/18 survey will be added in October 2022.

HBSC data browser

Explore, compare and share cross-national results from the latest international survey in 2022, alongside comparable figures from the HBSC surveys in 2014 and 2018.

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    Other data requests

    Data from HBSC surveys in 1985/86, 1989/90, 1993/94, 1997/98 and 2017/18 are available for use by agreement with the HBSC International Coordinator and Principal Investigators.

    Youth engagement

    Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child – which enshrines children’s rights to have their views and opinions heard, respected and taken into account – is fundamental to the work of HBSC.

    The HBSC network believes that young people are essential stakeholders in the production of science and policy relevant to their lives.

    The HBSC network uses a range of methodologies to enable young people to play an active role in the research process. Participatory research approaches with young people are employed in data generation, devising new research areas and related questions, data analysis and interpretation, and disseminating findings.

    This book showcases rights-based participatory approaches to policy-making, practice and research with children. It includes a chapter written by the HBSC team in Ireland that describes the process and impact of involving young people in question development in the national survey.

    This guide outlines the rationale for including children and adolescents in decision-making. It presents guidance on how participation with young people can be planned and executed to inform policy and practice developments and calls for policy-makers to prioritize both marginalized and seldom-heard adolescents and young children in decision-making.

    Participants reviewed key issues as they relate to adolescent well-being in the WHO European Region to identify policy implications for countries and highlight technical and other resources needed to support countries in accelerating progress towards more equitable health and well-being in adolescence.

    Connect with us

    Email us

    We welcome feedback, comments and enquiries about the HBSC study and research network. Email the International Coordinating Centre or Data Management Centre with your queries

    Contact country teams

    Find out about HBSC teams in your country. Contact details, team information and featured publications are available for each of the 51 teams currently in the study.

    Social media

    We are on Twitter and would love to connect with you. Follow @HBSCstudy for the latest news, reports, relevant research, comment and more.