A Research Paper By Esther Lam, Gen Z Coach, Young Millennials Coach, Cross-Cultural People on the Move Coach, SWITZERLAND
Generation Z Mental Health: The Role of Coaching
The present paper, submitted in fulfillment of the graduation requirements for the Certified Professional Coach Program of the International Coach Academy (ICA), examines the role and relevance of coaching in addressing select mental health issues of Generation Z (Gen Z hereafter). It first defines the key concepts and then illuminates the particular contexts and concerns of this generation, identifying depression and anxiety disorder as two of the key mental health challenges faced by Gen Zers and how they tend to manage them. It concludes by highlighting what coaching can offer to help the Gen Z population prevent and overcome mental health issues, and pursue growth and a fulfilling life.
Generation Z Mental Health: Definition
Gen Z is the demographic cohort between the Millennials and Generation Alpha.[1]While the exact years of birth for Gen Z vary, individuals born between the mid-1990s and the mid-2000s are considered Gen Zers. This research considers Gen Zers those born between 1997 and 2009,[2]who are about 14 to 26 years old now. Representing 30 percent of the world’s population, Gen Zers, currently about 2 billion of them, will make up approximately 27 percent of the global workforce by 2025.[3] They are the first generation growing up with digital devices and the Internet, engaging through social media with truly global connection and exposure.[4]
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as “a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. It is an integral component of health and well-being that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships, and shape the world we live in.”[5]Interestingly, recognizing mental health as a human right crucial to personal and other aspects of development, the WHO points out that mental health “exists on a complex continuum”[6] and is more than simply the absence of mental disorders or disabilities.
WHO figures show that in 2019, about one-eighth of the global population suffered from a mental health disorder, with anxiety disorder and depression being the two most prevalent. Anxiety disorder, featuring symptoms such as excessive fear, worry, and related behavioral disturbances, affected 301 million people in 2019 while 280 million people suffered from depression, typically characterized by daily sadness, loss of pleasure or interest, low self-worth, sense of hopelessness, lack of concentration for at least two weeks.[7] Alarmingly, children and adolescents make up more than 19 percent and 8 percent of anxiety disorder and depression patients respectively. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the situation, with the younger age groups, in particular girls and women, more affected partly due to school closures and drastically reduced in-person peer social interactions.[8]Expressing concern over a “vast care gap” for people suffering from depression and anxiety, WHO stresses that “innovative ways to diversify and scale up care for these conditions, for example through non-specialist psychological counseling or digital self-help”[9] are urgently needed. The present paper explores how coaching can be of help in this regard.
According to the International Coaching Federation (ICF), coaching is “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”[10] As evidenced in the ICF competencies for professional coaches and ICA materials, coaching is a client-driven process, and “our clients know what is best for them and have their own answers.”[11] Being self-directed individuals, clients are in charge of their own journey. The role of a coach is to help clients clarify their “values, beliefs, feelings, perceptions and ideas,” to“hold a safe space for them to identify their barriers, challenges, strengths, knowledge, and skills”, and to help clients identify “opportunities for shifting limiting beliefs or reframing perspectives.”[12]
It must be emphasized that a coach is not a counselor, psychologist, or therapist. The methodology of coaching is different from that of consulting, training, or mentoring. When examining the role of coaching in supporting Gen Z mental health, this research paper stresses that coaching is not therapy, nor is therapy coaching. A coach does not seek to perform the functions of a therapist or a counselor. The ICA puts it ably that “therapists and counselors use their abundant knowledge of human behavior models and theoretical frameworks to assess, diagnose and create treatment plans to support their clients’ improved mental health… Coaches also work to make behavior changes but are focussed on goal setting and supporting the client to identify for themselves what they need to address or work on in order to move forward….Coaches are interested in working with functional clients to help them become exceptional and rely on their client to build action plans.”[13]
Gen Z Contexts, Concerns, and Related Mental Health Challenges
Gen Zers have habits and concerns that are particular to their contexts, some of which can make them more susceptible to mental health challenges. Taking their almost constant connection to social media as an example, it has been documented that social media and gaming companies have designed their platforms, products, content, and strategies using neurosciences and other research to lurk impressionable children and teenagers and get them addicted, the expense of their mental health.[14] In a lawsuit filed against Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, it is alleged that “the company designed its products to exploit shortcomings in youthful psychology, including a May 2020 internal presentation called ‘teen fundamentals’ which highlighted certain vulnerabilities of the young brain that could be exploited by product development.”[15]
While healthy use of social media has its benefits, Gen Zers with excessive exposure and addiction are falling prey to online and trans-border predators. A growing body of evidence is linking the rise of anxiety disorder and depression in children, teenagers, and young adults to social media use. For example, a literature review[16] published in early 2023 found that a majority of studies under review observed that more active and prolonged social media usage was associated with a negative impact on adolescents’ mental health, most noticeably anxiety, depression, and stress. From 2011 to 2021, the United States registered a significant jump in the number of youth, especially teenage girls,[17]who had seriously considered suicide, made a suicide plan, and attempted suicide.
Other major concerns of Gen Zers that have mental health ramifications include climate anxiety, reduced job opportunities, hassle work culture and quiet quitting, financial burden, and housing insecurity. Gen Zers are at the forefront of protests and movements worldwide demanding urgent measures to protect the planet. Beneath their activism is also anxiety and a sense of helplessness in the face of climate change, with their voices and concerns seemingly not taken into consideration by governments and decision-makers. Studies reveal that the daily lives of a substantial proportion of global youth are affected by thoughts and feelings about climate change as an enduring existential threat.[18]
Research further suggests that climate or eco-anxiety, often associated with symptoms such as panic attacks, insomnia, obsessive thinking, overwhelm, guilt, and shame in addition to other stressors, is particularly prevalent among Gen Zers because they are still developing psychologically.[19] The stress of climate crises during a crucial developmental period, coupled with a sense of betrayal by their governments in not taking meaningful and effective mitigating measures, life-long repetition of climate-related stressors, and a sense of hopelessness all undermine the mental health of young people.[20]
Reduced job opportunities, quiet quitting in countering hassle work culture, and housing anxiety are also key Gen Z concerns. According to Gallup, there has been a significant decline in engagement and job satisfaction amongst Gen Zers and younger millennials, those under age 35, since the COVID-19 pandemic. Younger employees feel that they have fewer opportunities to develop and their managers and employers care less about them.[21] It is not surprising that Gen Zers make up the majority of quiet quitters, who are annoyed by the hustle work culture, valuing work-life balance instead of giving 110% at work. Hustleculture expects work to be a top priority and it consumes most of one’s time and energy. In contrast, quiet quitting refers to the phenomenon of employees doing the minimum required at work instead of being motivated to perform and climb the corporate ladder. Adding to this trend is the discouraging fact that Gen Zers, university graduates included, have less promising and well-renumerated job opportunities, and with persistent inflation and high housing prices,[22] many Gen Zers consider financial independence and homeownership an unattainable goal.
Mental Health Support for Gen Z and the Role of Coaching
From my interactions with Gen Zers and observations, they seem to be more aware of mental health issues and do not consider it a taboo, at least not as much as the older generations do. While the higher prevalence of depression and anxiety disorder among Gen Zers may be partly explained by their openness in reporting these mental issues, there is no denying that this generation, who also grew up with repeated news of terrorist attacks and threats, experienced the COVID-19 pandemic in their formative years in addition to the aforementioned contexts and concerns, is in need of mental health support. A series of surveys and interviews focusing on the US population finds that Gen Zers report the least positive outlook on life, including lower levels of emotional and social well-being, as compared to all other generations.[23]Young people are reporting higher rates of mental illnesses. The US figures show those between 12 and 17 who reported having at least one major depressive episode nearly doubled from 2008 to 2019, and suicide rates among people between 10 and 24 years old increased by 47 percent during the same period.[24] However, high costs, shortages of mental health professionals, long waiting times, lack of or inadequate insurance coverage, and bad experiences with the healthcare system are all factors preventing Gen Zers from getting timely and quality help from counselors, therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists.
Some of the Gen Zers with mental health issues seek refuge by binging on social media, which can exacerbate their conditions, while some rely on their networks of friends and loved ones for support. Some seek advice from therapists on social media and/or download relevant apps, with limited verifiable information on the therapists’ qualifications (and under what jurisdictions are their practices regulated). They thus risk falling prey to those taking advantage of the lack of mental health support for Gen Zers to make money by advertising themselves as making mental health support affordable by providing therapies online. In crisis situations, such as suicidal thoughts and attempts, some resort to emergency care in hospitals and crisis hotlines to get timely help.
What can coaches offer? It must be emphasized that this paper in no way suggests that coaching can or should substitute professional mental health support such as medication and therapy for those in need. Coaching, which can be less daunting (lightness vs significance), requires no diagnosis or insurance coverage, and is possibly more affordable, accessible, and less intimidating, can fill the support gap and play a preventive role in various ways. For example, coaches can help prevent Gen Zers from descending into depression and anxiety disorder by helping their clients raise awareness of their situations and mental health conditions, flip their perspectives, regain a sense of agency, clarify confusion, overcome fear and inertia, take responsibility and actions for their well-being, activate a growth mindset, and identify help and support in achieving their goals. Active and non-judgemental listening, as well as acknowledgment and understanding from a supportive and empowering coach, can make a real difference in preventive care.
For Gen Zers who are suffering from mental health challenges that require medical help and therapy, coaching can help clients see their needs and empower them to seek appropriate help. For clients who are receiving treatment for mental health issues, coaches are encouraged to be in touch with their therapists, with the consent of their clients, and provide complementary support. In my experience, some clients have told me that our coaching sessions are different from their therapy sessions. They find our coaching sessions more empowering and practical in helping them navigate daily life and pursue their goals. In particular, by supporting them to identify their values and emotional triggers, increase self-awareness of their thought patterns, set healthy routines, and small and doable goals, and feel understood, our coaching sessions have been helping my clients feel a sense of agency. They are in control of what they choose to pursue, and our forward-looking discussions often inspire hope and motivate them.
Generation Z Mental Health Features and Concerns
This short research paper has identified the salient features and concerns of Gen Zers, and the particular contexts that make them susceptible to mental health challenges. It has also highlighted the key issues that render quality and timely mental health support unavailable to most. Each of these factors and contexts deserves more in-depth research, which is beyond the scope and length of the present assignment. The paper serves as a helpful scoping exercise to better understand Gen Zers, their values, needs, concerns, and challenges, in particular the mental health challenges they face. It has offered some suggestions for the role of coaching, including serving as a preventive measure and/or being complementary to therapy and medical treatment through a forward-looking, hope-inspiring, and empowering approach.
To conclude with a personal note, the latest survey in Switzerland indicates that those who are 18 to 24 years old, especially young women, have been particularly affected by psychological and mental health problems, representing 29 percent of the affected population in 2022. In the greater Geneva area, where I reside, over 41 percent of its population is non-Swiss, with 196 nationalities represented. One of the reasons for choosing the current research topic is to help me understand better Gen Zers in or connected to the greater Geneva area, who are simultaneously cross-cultural teens/young adults and often people on the move. My heart is to serve this group of people, especially girls and women, as they journey through life and handle multiple challenges including mental health ones. Equipping myself with coaching skills and certification is a step in this direction.
References
Addressing the unprecedented behavioral-health challenges facing Generation Z, McKinsey, and Company, 14 June 2022
Damian Santomauro, Global prevalence and burden of depressive and anxiety disorders in 204 countries and territories in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lancet 2021; 398: 1700-1, 8 October 2021
Emma Lawrance et al, Psychological responses, mental health, and sense of agency for the dual challenges of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic in young people in the UK: an online survey study, September 2022, The Lancet Planetary Health
International Coaching Academy modules and materials
Judy Wu, Gaelen Snell and Hasina Samji, Climate anxiety in young people: a call to action, The Lancet Planetary Health, September 2020
Kenneth Haugk, When and How to Use Mental Health Resources, Stephen Ministries, 2000
MarijaDraženović, VukušićRukavina, and Lovela Machala Poplašen, Impact of Social Media Use on Mental Health within Adolescent and Student Populations during COVID-19 Pandemic: Review, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15 February 2023
Mental disorders factsheet, World Health Organization, June 2022,
Mental health factsheet, World Health Organization, June 2022,
Michael Dimock, Defining generations: Where Millennials End and Generation Z Begins, Pew Research Center, 17 January 2019
The Youth Risk Behaviour Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2011–2021, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States, February 2023
[1]Generation Alpha, Britannica, accessed on 26 October 2023
[2] “Defining generations: Where Millennials end and Generation Z begins”, Michael Dimock, Pew Research Center, 17 January 2019, accessed on 26 October 2023
[3] “Chart: How Gen Z employment levels compare in OECD countries”, World Economic Forum, 26 March 2021, accessed on 11 November 2023
[4]Gen Z and Gen Alpha Infographic Update, McCrindle, accessed on 11 November 2023
[5] “Mental health”, World Health Organization, 17 June 2022, accessed on 1 November 2023
[6]Ibid.
[7] “Mental disorders”, World Health Organization, 8 June 2022, accessed on 1 November 2023
[8] “Global prevalence and burden of depressive and anxiety disorders in 204 countries and territories in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic”, Dr. Damian Santomauro, Lancet 2021; 398: 1700–1, 8 October 2021, accessed on 1 November 2023
[9]“Mental health”, World Health Organization, 17 June 2022, accessed on 1 November 2023
[10]https://becomea.coach/?utm_source=ICF-site&utm_medium=nav-link&utm_campaign=bac-traffic-direction, accessed on 11 November 2023
[11]https://learnsite.icacoach.com/english-campus/foundation-coach-course/what-is-coaching/, accessed on 11 November 2023
[12]Ibid.
[13]Ibid.
[14] See, for example, an in-depth report by the Financial Times, “The teen mental health crisis: a reckoning for Big Tech”, Jamie Smyth and Hannah Murphy, 26 March 2023, accessed on 31 March 2023
[15] See, for example, “Meta-designed platforms to get children addicted, court documents allege”, Kari Paul and agencies, The Guardian, 27 November 2023, accessed on 27 November 2023
[16]Impact of Social Media Use on Mental Health within Adolescent and Student Populations during COVID-19 Pandemic: Review, Marija Draženović, Vukušić Rukavina and Lovela Machala Poplašen, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15 February 2023, accessed on 12 November 2023
[17] The Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2011–2021, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States, February 2023, accessed on 12 November 2023
[18] “Psychological responses, mental health, and sense of agency for the dual challenges of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic in young people in the UK: an online survey study”, Emma Lawrance et al, September 2022, The Lancet Planetary Health, accessed on 14 November 2023
[19]Climate change: Young people very worried – survey, 14 September 2021, BBC, accessed on 14 November 2023
[20] “Climate anxiety in young people: a call to action”, Judy Wu, Gaelen Snell, and Hasina Samji, The Lancet Planetary Health, September 2020, accessed on 14 November 2023
[21]Is Quiet Quitting Real? Jim Harter, 6 September 2022, Gallup, accessed on 14 November 2023
[22]GenZ: The Quiet Quitters – Saying No to “Hustle Culture”, Lauren Kemp, 10 January 2023, J2K Financial Recruiting, accessed on 14 November 2023
[23]Addressing the unprecedented behavioral-health challenges facing Generation Z, McKinsey, and Company, 14 June 2022, accessed on 16 November 2023
[24]Rising costs, therapist shortages: Gen Z struggles to afford mental health care, Wilfred Chan, the Guardian, 22 September 2022, accessed on 16 November 2023