Community Problems

Young adults aged 18 to 35 in the United States and Latin America are experiencing measurable declines in well-being and structured life outcomes despite high levels of access to information and educational resources. Recent global well-being data show that in the United States the youngest adult cohorts now report the lowest life satisfaction of all age groups, with those under 30 ranking among the least happy populations internationally and contributing to a historic low national ranking in subjective well-being surveys. In the U.S., this decline in well-being includes increased reports of loneliness and weakened social support networks; about one in five young adults globally report lacking reliable social support, and young Americans under 30 would score outside the top 60 happiest populations if assessed independently. Relatório Mundial da Felicidade In Latin America, broad surveys of mental health indicate that the young population faces significant challenges: poor mental health and its impacts are prevalent, with depression and anxiety contributing substantially to disability and economic loss in the region. Additionally, structural socioeconomic conditions compound stressors: for example, about 25 % of young people (18–24) in Latin America are neither studying nor formally employed, reflecting gaps in labor market integration and opportunities for stable progression. Across both regions, indicators of mental strain, disrupted routines (such as irregular sleep and attention issues), and low subjective motivation correlate with difficulties initiating and sustaining goal-directed behaviors. These patterns suggest that, while young adults articulate clear aspirations, they are concurrently situated in environments where psychological stress, economic uncertainty and social fragmentation are demonstrable and quantifiable challenges that impede the translation of intention into consistent, observable action.