{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,7]],"date-time":"2026-01-07T06:57:15Z","timestamp":1767769035378,"version":"3.48.0"},"reference-count":66,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,7]],"date-time":"2026-01-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1767744000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    An alarming rise in youth ill-being is sweeping across many parts of the world. In Norway, surveys conducted since 1985 consistently identified young people as the happiest age group, while seniors ranked lowest in terms of well-being. Since the early 2010s, however, this pattern has reversed: happiness among seniors has increased, whereas the well-being of young people has declined sharply. Quantitative research attributes this shift to strained social relationships, mental health challenges, and growing anxiety about the future. Social media appears to exacerbate these difficulties, though its interaction with broader cultural and societal transformations remains poorly understood. This study combines qualitative interviews with Norwegian high school students, retirees, teachers, health professionals, and other youth experts (\n                    <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                    \u202f=\u202f48), alongside an analysis of public debates concerning the causes and manifestations of adolescent distress. We explore four central questions: Is Norway\u2014one of the world\u2019s wealthiest nations\u2014living proof that \u201cmoney cannot buy happiness\u201d? What are the main causes of youth ill-being? How do young and old Norwegians interpret the new, digitally driven reality? And what explains seniors\u2019 unexpected resilience and well-being amid climate anxiety, geopolitical instability, and economic uncertainty? Our findings suggest that the rise in youth unhappiness\u2014while partly associated with social media use\u2014must be understood within a broader cultural framework: as a symptom of weakening communal bonds and a deepening crisis of the cooperative, prosocial ethos that has long sustained Norwegian society. An open question remains as to the extent to which this young, increasingly competitive and self-centred generation may challenge that ethos and, in a long run, undermine the very foundations of Norwegian social democracy.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2025.1706473","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,7]],"date-time":"2026-01-07T06:52:10Z","timestamp":1767768730000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The generational happiness switch in Norway: the puzzle of miserable youth and happy seniors"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Nina","family":"Witoszek","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mads","family":"Larsen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"202","DOI":"10.1177\/00914150221112281","article-title":"Health inequalities in older Norwegians and the mediating role of social networks","volume":"97","author":"Adhikari","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int. J. Aging Hum. Dev."},{"key":"ref2","volume-title":"Livet er best ute: friluftslivets historie og filosofi","author":"Anker","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.20935\/MHealthWellB7877","article-title":"Life satisfaction in Western Europe and the gradual vanishing of the U-shape in age","volume":"2","author":"Blanchflower","year":"2025","journal-title":"Acad. Ment. Health Well-Being"},{"key":"ref5","volume-title":"Acts of Meaning","author":"Bruner","year":"1990"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1037\/0003-066X.55.1.15","article-title":"The evolution of happiness","volume":"55","author":"Buss","year":"2000","journal-title":"Am. Psychol."},{"key":"ref7","volume-title":"The Research Act: A Theoretical Introduction to Sociological Methods","author":"Denzin","year":"1978"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315134543","volume-title":"The research act: A theoretical introduction to sociological methods","author":"Denzin","year":"2017"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1007\/978-90-481-2352-0","volume-title":"Culture and Well-being: The Collected Works of Ed Diener","author":"Diener","year":"2009"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1013","DOI":"10.1177\/0191453719872314","article-title":"Youth and the populist wave","volume":"45","author":"Foa","year":"2019","journal-title":"Philos. Soc. Crit."},{"key":"ref11","volume-title":"Luxury Fever: Why Money Fails to Satisfy in an Era of Excess","author":"Frank","year":"1999"},{"key":"ref12","volume-title":"Nordic Welfare States in the European Context","author":"Fritzell","year":"2001"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203793206","volume-title":"Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research","author":"Glaser","year":"2017"},{"key":"ref14","volume-title":"Stigma","author":"Goffman","year":"1963"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"345","DOI":"10.1007\/s11205-019-02145-3","article-title":"Rising inequality in the Nordic countries: a comparative analysis","volume":"145","author":"Gustafsson","year":"2019","journal-title":"Soc. Indic. Res."},{"key":"ref16","volume-title":"Why the Past 10 Years of American Life have been Uniquely Stupid","author":"Haidt","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref17","volume-title":"The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness","author":"Haidt","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref18","volume-title":"Life After Babel: Adapting to a World We May Never Again Share","author":"Haidt","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref19","volume-title":"Aldring, mestringsbetingelser og livskvalitet (Rapport IS-2475)","author":"Hansen","year":"2016"},{"key":"ref20","volume-title":"Jakten p\u00e5 den norske lykken: Norsk Monitor 1985\u20132007","author":"Hellevik","year":"2008"},{"key":"ref21","first-page":"55","article-title":"Is the good life sustainable? A three decade study of values, happiness and sustainability in Norway","volume-title":"Sustainable consumption and the good life","author":"Hellevik","year":"2015"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"177","DOI":"10.1007\/s11135-015-0300-3","article-title":"The U-shaped age\u2013happiness relationship: real or methodological artifact?","volume":"51","author":"Hellevik","year":"2017","journal-title":"Qual. Quant."},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"104","DOI":"10.18261\/issn.2535-8162-2021-02-02","article-title":"Hvorfor ser f\u00e6rre unge lyst p\u00e5 livet? Utviklingen for opplevd livskvalitet blant ungdom og yngre voksne i Norge","volume":"2","author":"Hellevik","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nord. tidsskr. ungdomsforsk."},{"key":"ref24","volume-title":"World happiness report 2022","author":"Helliwell","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref25","volume-title":"World Happiness Report 2025","author":"Helliwell","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"330","DOI":"10.1057\/bm.2000.23","article-title":"Introducing short-term brands: a new branding tool for a new consumer reality","volume":"7","author":"Herman","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Brand Manag."},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"131","DOI":"10.1002\/mde.1288","article-title":"Envy and positional bias in the evolutionary psychology of management","volume":"27","author":"Hill","year":"2006","journal-title":"Manag. Decis. Econ."},{"key":"ref28","first-page":"62","article-title":"Evolution and subjective well-being","volume-title":"The Science of Subjective Well-being","author":"Hill","year":"2008"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1075\/rmal.6.03hoc","article-title":"Implementing the multiperspectival approach (MPA): a study of art and design communication","volume-title":"Less Frequently used Research Methodologies in Applied Linguistics","author":"Hocking","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref30","author":"Hystad","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"152","DOI":"10.1080\/00438243.1993.9980235","article-title":"The temporality of the landscape","volume":"25","author":"Ingold","year":"1993","journal-title":"World Archaeol."},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"210","DOI":"10.1111\/ijsw.12315","article-title":"The impact of globalization on Nordic welfare states","volume":"27","author":"Kangas","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int. J. Soc. Welf."},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"182","DOI":"10.1080\/14780887.2018.1540655","article-title":"Multiperspectival designs and processes in interpretative phenomenological analysis research","volume":"16","author":"Larkin","year":"2019","journal-title":"Qual. Res. Psychol."},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"746406","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2021.746406","article-title":"The Lutheran imaginary that underpins social democracy","volume":"12","author":"Larsen","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref35","volume-title":"Bridging the narrative abyss: Evolution toward social democracy in a millennium of Nordic fiction. PhD.","author":"Larsen","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"29","DOI":"10.5406\/19346018.75.1.03","article-title":"Americanizing the Scandinavian super underdog in eighteen film remakes","volume":"75","author":"Larsen","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Film Video"},{"key":"ref37","volume-title":"Master-narrative Transitions from the Vikings to Artificial Intelligence: How Fiction Helps Communities Adapt to a Changing World","author":"Larsen","year":"2026"},{"key":"ref38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1065889","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2023.1065889","article-title":"Strategies of prosociality: comparing Nordic and Slavonic altruism toward Ukrainian refugees","volume":"14","author":"Larsen","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1017\/9781009378543","volume-title":"Evolutionary Perspectives on Enhancing the Quality of Life","author":"Larsen","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1068119","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2023.1068119","article-title":"A multilevel selection model for prosocial well-being","volume":"14","author":"Larsen","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref41","volume-title":"Clemens Saers - l\u00e6rer p\u00e5 liv og d\u00f8d","author":"Lindh","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"74","DOI":"10.1038\/s41562-022-01460-1","article-title":"A systematic review of worldwide causal and correlational evidence on digital media and democracy","volume":"7","author":"Lorenz-Spreen","year":"2023","journal-title":"Nat. Hum. Behav."},{"key":"ref43","volume-title":"The Universe of the Mind","author":"Lotman","year":"1990"},{"key":"ref44","volume-title":"Last child in the woods: Saving our children from nature-deficit disorder","author":"Louv","year":"2008"},{"key":"ref45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-030-72555-6","volume-title":"Deconstructing Scandinavia's \u201cAchievement Generation\u201d: A Youth Mental Health Crisis?","author":"Madsen","year":"2021"},{"key":"ref46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4324\/9781003372547","volume-title":"Life Skills and Adolescent Mental Health: Can Kids be Taught to Master life?","author":"Madsen","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref47","author":"Madsen","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"120","DOI":"10.1002\/sea2.12169","article-title":"Substantive commitments: reconciling work ethics and the welfare state in Norway","volume":"7","author":"McKowen","year":"2020","journal-title":"Econ. Anthropol."},{"key":"ref49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.2307\/j.ctv62hgm7","volume-title":"Lutheranism and the Nordic Spirit of Social Democracy: A Different Protestant Ethic","author":"Nelson","year":"2017"},{"key":"ref51","first-page":"1189","article-title":"Enhancing the quality and credibility of qualitative analysis","volume":"34","author":"Patton","year":"1999","journal-title":"Health Serv. Res."},{"key":"ref53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"157","DOI":"10.1007\/s11205-009-9494-x","article-title":"Happy to help? Exploring the factors associated with variations in rates of volunteering across Europe","volume":"97","author":"Plagnol","year":"2010","journal-title":"Soc. Indic. Res."},{"key":"ref54","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"189","DOI":"10.1177\/1469540514526594","article-title":"Conspicuous consumption in affluent societies: the Nordic case","volume":"15","author":"Pugh","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Consum. Cult."},{"key":"ref55","author":"Ringdal","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref56","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"233","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-319-42445-3_16","article-title":"Genes, environments, and core features of eudaimonic wellbeing","volume-title":"Handbook of Eudaimonic Well-being","author":"R\u00f8ysamb","year":"2016"},{"key":"ref57","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"809","DOI":"10.35808\/ersj\/4012","article-title":"Mental resilience and satisfaction with life \u2013 organizational perspective","author":"Rybak","year":"2025","journal-title":"Euro Res Stud J"},{"key":"ref58","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"84","DOI":"10.4135\/9781526416070.n6","article-title":"Sampling and generalization","volume-title":"The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Data Collection","author":"Schreier","year":"2018"},{"key":"ref59","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100734","DOI":"10.1016\/j.lanepe.2023.100734","article-title":"Prevalence of mental disorders among Norwegian college and university students: a population-based cross-sectional analysis","volume":"34","author":"Sivertsen","year":"2023","journal-title":"Lancet Reg. Health Eur."},{"key":"ref60","author":"Sk\u00e5land","year":"2016"},{"key":"ref61","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref62","volume-title":"Reclaiming conversation: The power of talk in a digital age","author":"Turkle","year":"2015"},{"key":"ref64","volume-title":"Human Development Report 2021\/22","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref65","volume-title":"Human development report 2025: Country insights","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref66","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1057\/978-1-137-49195-4","volume-title":"Narrative Psychology: Identity, Transformation and Ethics","author":"Vassilieva","year":"2016"},{"key":"ref67","volume-title":"The Origins of the Regime of goodness: Remapping the Norwegian Cultural History","author":"Witoszek","year":"2012"},{"key":"ref68","author":"Witoszek","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref69","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315195964","volume-title":"Sustainable Modernity: The Nordic Model and Beyond","author":"Witoszek","year":"2018"},{"key":"ref70","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"338","DOI":"10.1186\/s40359-023-01376-0","article-title":"The association between fear of missing out and mobile phone addiction: a meta-analysis","volume":"11","author":"Zhang","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Psychol."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Psychology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2025.1706473\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,7]],"date-time":"2026-01-07T06:52:17Z","timestamp":1767768737000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2025.1706473\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,7]]},"references-count":66,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpsyg.2025.1706473"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2025.1706473","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-1078"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-1078","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,7]]},"article-number":"1706473"}}