d. 25.02.25

New research: young people experience improved wellbeing by attending headspace – especially the most vulnerable

Researchers conclude that headspace Denmark enhances wellbeing, particularly among the most vulnerable, and may potentially prevent mental illness — an initiative highlighted by the Trivselskommissionen (the Wellbeing Commission) as part of the solution to youth distress

An increasing number of young people in Denmark struggle with poor mental health, which affects their quality of life and creates challenges for society on multiple levels.

At the same time, Trivselskommissionen (Wellbeing Commission) has presented 35 recommendations on how to improve youth wellbeing in Denmark. Among these, low-threshold services that offer free and anonymous help to young people are emphasised as part of the solution to promote wellbeing.

There are many support services available to young people but measuring their effectiveness—or whether they have any effect can be difficult and uncertain.

However, a new evaluation confirms that headspace Denmark’s counselling improves young people’s wellbeing. The evaluation, conducted by researchers from Region Hovedstadens Psykiatri (Mental Health Service in the Capital Region of Denmark), also concludes that increased wellbeing may reduce the risk of developing mental illness among young people.

Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, founder and patron of headspace Denmark, remarks:

“I am happy and proud that we now have clear evidence that our efforts work. We have never doubted that headspace makes a difference for young people, because they have told us so themselves. But now that research confirms it — it’s huge. And it gives us an even stronger foundation for continuing our work to ensure that young people in Denmark always have someone to turn to when they face challenges in life—no matter who they are, what burdens they carry, or where in the country they live.”

Thousands of young people participated in the study
The impact evaluation included 1,532 young people who have used headspace and a control group of 9,926 young people. Never before has the effectiveness of a service like headspace been studied on such a large scale.

The impact evaluation is further supported by a qualitative study that reinforces and elaborates on its findings.

Great potential in prevention and health promotion
Regarding the evaluation, which is part of a five-year research project, research leader Lene Eplov states:

“We conclude that headspace plays a crucial role in identifying and supporting young people in distress. With its significant preventive and health-promoting potential, headspace is a key player in efforts to improve youth mental health. Surprisingly, the study also shows that the young people experiencing the greatest distress benefit the most from headspace.”

In the next phases of the project, the research team will investigate whether headspace increases young people’s long-term participation in the labour market and/or reduces their use of health and social services. It will also assess the socioeconomic effects of headspace Denmark’s efforts.

headspace offers counselling via chat and in 36 centres nationwide
headspace Denmark provides in-person counselling for young people in 36 centres across the country, as well as through a national chat counselling service. In five of the centres, family counselling is also available under the headspace Family initiative.

Read more and get in touch with headspace here:

The impact evaluation work is supported by Trygfonden.

For more information, contact:

Joyce Cathleen Hall Andersen

Press Officer at headspace/Det Sociale Netværk

Møn: 9292 4620

E-mail: jcha@detsocialenetvaerk.dk

d. 25.02.25

Ny forskning: Unge får bedre trivsel af at komme i headspace – især de mest udsatte

Forskere konkluderer, at headspace Danmark øger trivslen, især blandt de mest udsatte, og kan potentielt forebygge psykisk sygdom – en indsats, som Trivselskommissionen fremhæver som en del af løsningen på unges mistrivsel.

Et stigende antal unge i Danmark er plaget af dårligt mentalt helbred, hvilket kan aflæses på de unges livskvalitet og skaber udfordringer for samfundet på flere planer.

Samtidig har Trivselskommissionen fremlagt 35 anbefalinger til, hvordan unges trivsel i Danmark kan forbedres. Her fremhæves lavtærskeltilbud, hvor unge gratis og anonymt kan søge hjælp, som en del af løsningen for at fremme trivslen.

Der findes mange tilbud om hjælp til de unge. Men om tilbuddene har den ønskede effekt – eller effekt i det hele taget – kan være svært at måle og er derfor forbundet med usikkerhed.

I en ny evaluering fastslås det imidlertid, at headspace Danmarks rådgivning øger unges trivsel. I evalueringen lavet af forskere fra Region Hovedstadens Psykiatri, konkluderes det også, at den øgede trivsel kan mindske risikoen for at udvikle psykisk sygdom hos den unge.

Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, stifter af og protektor for headspace Danmark, udtaler:

”Jeg er glad og stolt over, at vi nu har sort på hvidt, at vores indsats virker. Vi har aldrig tvivlet på, at headspace gjorde en forskel for unge, for det har de unge selv fortalt os. Men at vi nu også har forskningens ord for det – det er kæmpestort. Og det giver os et endnu stærkere fundament for det fortsatte arbejde med at sikre, at unge i Danmark altid har nogen at gå til, når de møder bump på livets vej – ligegyldigt hvem man er, hvad man er tynget af, og hvor I landet man befinder sig.”

Flere tusinde unge en del af undersøgelsen
Effektevalueringen inkluderede 1.532 unge, der har brugt headspace, og en kontrolgruppe på 9.926 unge. Aldrig før er effekten af et tilbud som headspace blevet undersøgt i så stor skala.

Effektevalueringen bakkes desuden op af en kvalitativ undersøgelse, som understøtter og uddyber resultaterne af evalueringen.

Stort potentiale inden for forebyggelse og sundhedsfremme
Om evalueringen, der er en del af et femårigt forskningsprojekt, udtaler forskningsleder Lene Eplov:

”Vi konkluderer, at headspace spiller en afgørende rolle i opsporing og støtte af unge i mistrivsel. Med deres store forebyggende og sundhedsfremmende potentiale er headspace en vigtig aktør i indsatsen for unges mentale sundhed. Overraskende nok viser undersøgelsen også, at det er de unge, der er i størst mistrivsel, der har størst effekt af headspace.”

I de næste faser af projektet vil forskergruppen undersøge, om headspace på længere sigt øger de unges tilknytning til arbejdsmarkedet og mindsker brugen af sundheds- og sociale ydelser samt regne på de samfundsøkonomiske effekter af headspace Danmarks indsats.

headspace rådgiver via chat og fysisk i 36 centre landet over
headspace Danmark tilbyder fysisk rådgivning til unge i 36 centre fordelt rundt i landet samt via en national chatrådgivning. I fem af centrene tilbydes også pårørenderådgivning under initiativet headspace Family.

Læs mere, og kom i kontakt med headspace her.

Arbejdet med effektevalueringen er støttet af Trygfonden.

For mere information kontakt:

Joyce Cathleen Hall Andersen

Pressemedarbejder i headspace/Det Sociale Netværk

Tlf: 9292 4620

Mail: jcha@detsocialenetvaerk.dk

New research: young people experience improved wellbeing by attending headspace – especially the most vulnerable

Ny forskning: Unge får bedre trivsel af at komme i headspace – især de mest udsatte

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