Transitions and Young People’s Mental Health: Opportunities for Personal Growth and the Importance of Social Support

Transitions in Adolescence
Transitions occur at various points in our lives and involve adapting to social, psychological, and physical changes (Tett et al, 2017). Often the most significant transitions occur during late childhood and early adolescence. Adolescence is a key developmental period, characterised as crucial for the development of social and emotional skills important for mental health and wellbeing. These include adopting healthy sleep patterns; eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly; developing coping skills, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills. It is a period during which young people develop their own moral compass and values. Adolescence is a time for growth spurts and puberty which is associated with emotional and hormonal changes, as well as physical changes. Critical changes in the brain occur during adolescence, which make this age group more vulnerable for developing mental health difficulties. Further, 75% of all psychiatric disorders in adults start before 24 years of age, and 50% before 14 years of age (Kessler et al, 2005).

Changes in Education
Transitions relating to changes in education involve creating new friendships, identity shifts,  changes in the way young people perceive the world and often dealing with loss and bereavement (Mental Health Foundation, 2021). Transitions are increasingly complex post-compulsory education with many spending periods unemployed, in training or in further education (Packer & Thomas, 2021). Transitions can bring further uncertainty about the future, leading to increased feelings of anxiety, uncertainty and apprehension. Australian, US and UK research indicates that transitions into and throughout education could be significant facilitators of heightened mental health difficulties (Browne et al, 2017; Cage et al, 2021). Importantly, some young people are disproportionately affected, such as those with existing mental health difficulties, limited social support and young people from minority groups and backgrounds including low socioeconomic status, BAME, LGBTQ+ communities and with disabilities (Carter et al, 2013; Parker et al, 2017; Sotardi et al, 2022). School and higher education are often the most important social institutions for young people in managing these transitions. Thus, how education systems promote mental health and wellbeing and cultivate systems of social support is crucial to successful navigation of these transitions. The impact of reduced social support during the closure of schools and higher education institutions in many countries worldwide was seen as a result of Covid-19 pandemic (Al-Maskari et al, 2022; Elmer et al, 2020, Rapper et al, 2022), with concerning rates of psychological disorders being increasingly recognised in young adults. Emotional and social support were found to be important in mitigating such psychological problems among young adults (Doan et al, 2022).

A Different Perspective: Opportunity for Growth?
Transitions are ongoing, and as such when these situations are particularly challenging, they require resilience and consistent support to process (Cage et al, 2021; Packer & Thomas, 2021). While difficult in nature, transitions can also provide a new opportunity for growth and transformation. Allowing young people time and space to process these changes is essential to moving forward and creating a fulfilling and meaningful time. It is no surprise that social support has benefits for well-being and can act as a protective factor against burnout and stress in academia (Musumari et al, 2018; Rehman et al, 2022) and also positively impacts on academic performance (Hommes et al, 2012). Young people with higher perceived social support have been found to be more likely to gain on conscientiousness in school (Hill et al, 2014) and higher education institutions (Erzen & Ozabaci, 2023). Social support allows young people to develop new connections and gain a sense of belonging with new peers and in their school or higher educational setting (Cogan et al, 2023; Hommes et al, 2012).

In a study conducted by Cage and Colleagues (2021) perspectives of challenges and opportunities for support during transitions throughout higher education were explored. Both staff and student participants highlighted the role of social support in supporting transitions, in the form of informal, student-led support such as peer mentoring or ‘buddying’. These systems look to pair young people with students who are further along in their transitional journeys, which has been found to help them settle into university life and also aid with continued education and engagement (Collings et al, 2014). Such support schemes reportedly benefit the student providing support as well as those receiving the support (Gunn et al, 2017) in that they gain in confidence, experience improved mental wellbeing, become more open to new experiences, establish new life skills, and feel better able to cope with future transitions and challenges.

Given that educational institutions play a major role in helping young people manage transitions, having robust social support systems integrated into schools and universities is essential in facilitating social connection, particularly where there could be barriers for young people in connecting with peers as a result of pre-existing low self-esteem, social anxiety and/or low self-confidence.

The Role of Social Support in Personal Growth
Personal development is possible through the provision of social support that helps young people navigate transitions and associated challenges. From a developmental perspective, the establishment and growth of a young person’s interactions with their peers is seen as fundamental to an understanding of maturing personal characteristics. For instance, peer support with individuals at different stages of education (Cage et al, 2021) can help students see what is ahead, preparing them for the future, influencing coping behaviour and fostering successful adaptation. Peer support also connects young people in similar situations, thereby helping them to make sense of transitions and new experiences. Students recognise that while they may have social networks out with schools or universities (family, friends), it is beneficial to also establish connections with students as this facilitates sharing of problems and concerns with people who know what it is like (Thompson et al, 2021).  Together, we can view social support as essential to successfully managing transitions in adolescence in that it:
●    Has a protective effect of mental health and wellbeing
●    Facilitates sense of meaning, purpose and belonging (Cai & Lian, 2021)
●    Can help protect against low self-confidence and increase autonomy and independence
●    Facilitates social engagement and conscientiousness in school and higher education
●    Can enhance self-efficacy; belief in one’s abilities to achieve a goal
●    Contributes towards the development of personal resilience and growth
●    Creates opportunities for sharing knowledge, giving back, providing emotional support, social interaction, and practical help and guidance
●    Provides multiple benefits and positive outcomes in later in life including improved physical and mental health outcomes.

Take-home Message
We often consider transitions in adolescence as periods of turbulence and vulnerability associated with heightened risks to young people’s mental health and well-being. However, these periods can also provide opportunities for young people to flourish and experience personal growth. Schools and universities should prioritise having robust social support systems in place to help young people in managing their current (and future) transitions. Engaging in social support can help young people improve confidence, self-esteem, social skills, mental wellbeing and overall quality of life. Positive mental health during adolescence provides a foundation that enables young people to face and positively adapt to the challenges that come as they enter adulthood (Waigel & Lemos, 2023). Creating a support network can help facilitate engagement within education and through sharing experiences young people can gain valuable insight through knowledge sharing. It is important for young people to actively engage in creating their social support network, however, schools, universities and the wider educational system also play an essential role in facilitating and creating these opportunities.

References
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