Young people with foreign backgrounds report poorer well-being than peers

Young people with foreign backgrounds in Finland face greater challenges in health, well-being, and school life compared to their peers with Finnish-born parents, according to a new school health survey by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

The 2023 survey reveals that over half of eighth- and ninth-grade students born abroad with foreign backgrounds reported experiencing discrimination or bullying in the past year. Among students with two Finnish-born parents, fewer than one-third reported similar experiences. Discrimination and bullying among boys in these grades have increased between 2021 and 2023, regardless of background.

Girls, irrespective of origin, reported poorer overall well-being than boys. They more frequently experienced anxiety, school burnout, dissatisfaction with life, and loneliness, according to THL research professor Anu Castaneda.

The survey also highlighted differences in lifestyle and health behaviors. Students with foreign backgrounds were less likely to eat breakfast on school days and more likely to perceive their internet use as excessive. A larger proportion of these students also reported having no close friends.

However, the findings included positive aspects: young people with foreign backgrounds consumed less alcohol and held more favorable attitudes toward school and studying. Among fourth- and fifth-graders born abroad, four out of five expressed enjoyment in school, compared to 69 percent of students with two Finnish-born parents.

The biennial School Health Promotion Study surveyed students in grades 4–5 and 8–9, as well as first- and second-year upper secondary students.