Adolescence is a time of change, exploration and development, but for many teenagers it is also a time of major challenges. According to data from the World Health Organization (2024), one in seven adolescents aged between 10 and 19 has a mental disorder. Among secondary school students, 36.7% experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and in Europe one-third of young people aged 15 to 19 have a mental disorder. These difficulties account for 15% of the global burden of disease in this age group, serving as a clear reminder of how serious the issue is. However, challenges in the field of mental health are not evenly distributed. Research consistently shows that adolescents from lower socioeconomic backgrounds (families with lower incomes, lower levels of education or less job security) are at higher risk of developing mental health problems.
Socioeconomic status is usually measured through education, income and family size, but in our study we aimed to capture a broader picture of the adolescents’ everyday environment. In addition to traditional indicators, we included factors that significantly shape daily life, such as quality of living conditions, relationships with parents, perceived acceptance among peers, sexual orientation, and very concrete aspects of daily comfort such as access to one’s own computer and sufficient personal space at home. These elements play an important role in shaping adolescent’s sense of safety, autonomy and belonging, and they allow us to gain a more holistic insight into their experiences and potential sources of stress or support.
The ERASMUS+ project BE-WELL, aimed at strengthening the mental health and well-being of secondary school students through positive psychology interventions, was conducted in three partner countries: Spain, Croatia and Slovenia. Below, we present part of the data collected in Slovenia. The study among Slovenian students at a selected secondary school was carried out in spring 2025. A total of 276 students from all four years participated. They completed online questionnaires that were measuring indicators of deprivation, well-being and mental health, including anxiety and depression. We then used a statistical method known as cluster analysis to group students based on similar life circumstances and challenges, drawing on an expanded set of indicators of social deprivation.
The analysis revealed three clearly distinct groups. The first group, representing approximately 38% of the sample, includes privileged students. They generally reported supportive family relationships, good-quality living conditions and few financial concerns. The second group, around 28% of the sample, represents high-risk students. These students faced the most severe challenges: financial hardship, lower-quality living conditions, lower education levels of their parents, limited personal space and access to technology, and a higher proportion of students with non-traditional sexual orientations. The third group, roughly 34% of the sample, includes moderately deprived students, who faced some financial difficulties and challenges in interpersonal relationships, but to a lesser extent than those in the high-risk group.
The results were clear. Students in the deprived groups reported lower levels of well-being, as well as higher levels of anxiety and depression as compared to their peers. The findings showed that deprived students should not be treated as a single homogeneous group. High-risk students, who faced the most frequent and severe challenges, demonstrated the greatest need for psychological support.
Schools and policymakers too often treat deprived students as a uniform, homogeneous group, relying solely on traditional indicators such as income or parental education. Our research shows that the challenges these students face are more diverse and multilayered and that a broader range of indicators should be considered. This also means that universal solutions are unlikely to work. Instead, interventions must be carefully tailored to the specific needs of each group. For students at the highest risk, what may be the most effective are programmes that strengthen self-esteem, self-acceptance and emotional resilience, while students facing moderate challenges may benefit from training in emotional regulation and stress management.
Our study was limited to one secondary school in Slovenia, so the findings cannot be generalised to all the adolescents. Nevertheless, the results highlight the need for a more nuanced approach to adolescent mental health. If we want to improve students’ well-being, we have to look beyond simple labels such as “low socioeconomic status” and recognise the unique challenges faced by different groups of students. Only this way, the interventions that truly work can be designed, which would ensure that every adolescent has the best possible opportunities for their success and development.
