Drivers of the decline in adolescent life satisfaction over 16 years: Evidence from UK representative household panel data (2009-2024)

Background: The decline of mental health among adolescents in the UK over the past two decades has occurred amidst many societal and technological changes making it difficult to identify drivers of these trends. We aimed to identify which aspect of life showed the most rapid deterioration in satisfaction in the UK since 2009 and which aspects have become increasingly correlated with mental health. Methods: Between 2009 and 2024, 15,829 adolescents aged 10-15 rated their satisfaction with life as well as five aspects of life (family, friends, school, schoolwork, appearance), via the UK Household Longitudinal Study. Population-weighted regressions were used to estimate annual summary statistics on these items (means, proportions) and the relative associations between satisfaction items and socioemotional difficulties, as measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Meta-regressions estimated linear changes over time, with interactions testing for heterogeneity across sexes, age-groups, and household income. Results: Mean satisfaction with life dropped over the 16 years of study (B=-0.028, 95% CI=-0.034, -0.022), as did satisfaction with all five aspects of life. Satisfaction with school declined most rapidly (B=-0.027, 95% CI=-0.034,-0.020), becoming accelerated in the most recent 5-year window (2020-24; B=-0.139, 95% CI=-0.178,-0.099). The proportion of dissatisfied individuals rose most rapidly for schoolwork, particularly for females. Satisfaction with appearance became increasingly associated with general life satisfaction (B=0.009, 95% CI=0.005, 0.013, p<.001) and socioemotional difficulties (B=-0.051, 95% CI=-0.073,-0.029, p<.001) over time. Conclusions: Our findings add to international evidence for academic pressure and school environments as plausible drivers of recent declines in life satisfaction, particularly among female adolescents. Future studies should aim to identify the specific aspects of school life that are influencing adolescent mental health and the impact of existing educational policies on student wellbeing should be evaluated.