1. Mental health, burnout and stress-related symptoms among youth : prevalence and pandemic effectsGordana Kuterovac Jagodić, Darja Maslić Seršić, Sandra Antulić Majcen, 2025, independent scientific component part or a chapter in a monograph Abstract: The chapter examines youth mental health in Croatia and Slovenia through validated measures of depression, anxiety, stress (DASS-9), burnout (BAT-12), and self-reported worries. Results indicate elevated levels of impairment, with over one-quarter of young people in both countries reporting severe depressive symptoms, around 20% reporting severe anxiety, and nearly one-third reporting high stress, with Croatian respondents consistently showing slightly higher levels of depression and stress. Burnout symptoms were more pronounced among students than employed youth, which underlines the role of educational settings as environments of heightened psychological strain. There were statistically significant gender and age disparities observed: young women, particularly in the youngest cohorts, reported the highest levels of mental health difficulties, whereas older women showed improvement. Among men, different age-related trends emerged. Socio-economic status also influenced outcomes, with financially better-off youth reporting fewer symptoms.
Keywords: youth, mental health, burnout, Croatia, Slovenia
Published in DKUM: 16.09.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 6
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2. Youth's educational experiences before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemicIva Odak, Sandra Antulić Majcen, Suzana Košir, 2025, independent scientific component part or a chapter in a monograph Abstract: This chapter explores shifts in educational trajectories and student well-being in Croatia and Slovenia before (2018), during, and after (2023) the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings indicate that participation in formal education remains high, particularly in Slovenia, with girls more often enrolled in graduate studies. However, students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were disproportionately excluded from higher levels of education, with inequalities especially evident in Croatia at the primary and secondary levels. The pandemic negatively affected subjective well-being, most severely among girls and young people in lower levels of education. Stress levels were consistently high, with differing patterns across countries and education levels, and were strongly linked to diminished well-being and academic performance. During the pandemic, schools and universities acted as crucial support structures, partly mitigating adverse outcomes, yet disparities persisted post-pandemic. Educational aspirations remained generally strong, though shaped by gender and socioeconomic status, revealing both resilience and entrenched inequalities in youth education pathways.
Keywords: education, students, well-being, socioeconomic disparities
Published in DKUM: 16.09.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 6
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3. Life satisfaction and aspects of subjective well-being of youth as indicators of youth mental health : pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic perspectivesSandra Antulić Majcen, Andrej Naterer, Gordana Kuterovac Jagodić, 2025, independent scientific component part or a chapter in a monograph Abstract: This chapter examines youth well-being in Croatia and Slovenia before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic, with particular emphasis on mental health outcomes. Findings reveal a marked decline in life satisfaction across family life, friendships, and body image, with negative changes disproportionately affecting girls and young people of lower socio-economic status. During the pandemic, around one-fifth of respondents reported rarely or never experiencing positive emotions, while one-third frequently encountered negative states such as sadness, fear, or anger. Loneliness emerged as a significant concern, particularly among girls, though age-specific patterns differed between the two countries. Despite this, most young people retained access to supportive social networks, which served as an important protective factor. On the other hand, the post-pandemic period showed improvements in subjective well-being, which included stronger social connectedness and more positive emotional states. However, persistent vulnerabilities remain, particularly among girls, the youngest cohort, and youth from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Keywords: life satisfaction, subjective well-being, youth vulnerabilities, mental health, COVID-19 pandemic
Published in DKUM: 09.09.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 7
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