Young people are living at home longer and longer, although this is often out of necessity. Research shows that it is not always beneficial for their mental well-being.
The fact that young people today continue to live with their parents for longer is a trend that Belgium and the Netherlands cannot escape. Young people often take longer to complete their studies, but the sky-high prices of rental properties and real estate also mean that they take longer to check in at ‘hotel mom/dad’.
This is also increasingly the case on the other side of the world, according to research in PlosOne. In Australia, the number of young adults forced to live at home has increased by 18 percent over the past twenty years, especially among adolescents who do not live in large cities (+ 46 percent), older young people (+ 36 percent), women (+ 36 percent). + 28 percent) and low-income groups (+ 10 percent).
Effect on mental health
The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of living at home on the mental well-being of young people, and the results tend to indicate a negative influence.
This could be because living with your parents for longer than necessary is usually not a personal choice, but a financial necessity. In addition, our society values self-reliance and independence, which creates an emotional tension. Finally, living at home can also have an impact on whether or not you have a relationship, social contacts and the sense of privacy.
The researchers emphasize that not all young people view living with their parents negatively and there is also a group who choose to stay under their parents’ wings a little longer precisely because of mental problems.
The research does show that the socio-demographic groups where living at home has increased the most also score the worst on mental health. The researchers therefore argue for a policy that focuses more on affordable rental housing.
2023-12-11 17:05:57
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