Growing up together: the benefits of community in adolescence
When we talk about mental health and, above all, the prevention of mental health problems, we cannot leave out the bonds, the safe spaces and the support that comes from feeling part of a community .
Those of us who work with adolescents know that community is often the driving force that allows a person to feel accompanied, recognized, and part of something shared.
Social disconnection, a threat to public health
We live in an era marked by individualism and the progressive erosion of community ties. Loneliness and isolation have ceased to be individual experiences and have become a collective phenomenon that affects physical, emotional, and relational well-being. Loneliness is the gap between the connections we desire and those we actually have; social isolation is the objective lack of relationships.
The 9th Report on Exclusion and Social Development in Spain identifies social isolation as one of the factors that most negatively impacts mental health, especially the lack of stable and robust support networks (Flores, 2025). The WHO Commission on Social Connection revealed in 2025 that 1 in 6 people worldwide experience loneliness (WHO, 2025).
Furthermore, half of all mental disorders appear before the age of 14. These are often preceded by psychosocial difficulties that, if not addressed promptly, can develop into more serious problems. This reinforces the need for comprehensive preventive strategies that integrate psychological, educational, and community-based approaches (Colizzi et al., 2020).
Factors that contribute to unwanted loneliness in young people
Why does the community prevent mental health problems?
Neurodevelopmental changes in adolescence present both vulnerabilities and opportunities. Stable attachment relationships and safe environments are essential for optimal brain development (Colizzi et al., 2020). A study from Massachusetts General Hospital identified social connection as the most powerful preventive factor against depression, outperforming more than one hundred modifiable factors analyzed, including exercise, diet, and environment. Furthermore, individuals with high perceived social support have a 63% lower risk of depression and a 52% lower risk of poor sleep quality (APA, 2020).
Community is often the driving force that allows a person to feel accompanied, recognized, and part of something shared.
Community initiatives (structured leisure activities, regular meetings, shared spaces, etc.) increase emotional well-being and participation (Tuaf & Orkibi, 2023). Furthermore, the relationship between community and well-being is bidirectional : being part of a community improves mental state, and a better mental state facilitates greater and more effective participation in community life (Saeri et al., 2018).
Adolescence, a particularly vulnerable group
Loneliness has particularly critical effects during adolescence and early adulthood. Between 17% and 21% of young people aged 13 to 29 report feeling lonely , and when this experience becomes chronic, it can be associated with a higher risk of violent behavior, bullying , and suicidal ideation (Infocop, 2025). During these stages, social connections, both with peers and the educational community, play a fundamental role. Adolescence is a particularly sensitive neurobiological window, in which the influence of the peer group increases and can act as a powerful protective factor (Birell, 2025).
Another particularly vulnerable group is migrants , whose journeys often involve the severing of family, community, and cultural ties. Added to this are language barriers, discrimination, and precarious employment, which increase the risk of unwanted loneliness, social isolation, and emotional distress.
Collective benefits versus individual benefits
Peer support groups, initiatives that strengthen school connections, and urban interventions that facilitate community gatherings and activities are promising approaches (CDC, 2024). All of these shift prevention from the exclusively individual level to the relational and community level, where evidence indicates more sustained protective effects.
Adolescence is a particularly sensitive neurobiological window, in which the influence of the peer group increases and can act as a powerful protective factor.
Distinguishing between individual and collective benefits allows us to understand how they complement each other. Individual interventions , such as social-emotional training or psychological support, can improve the ability to identify and ask for help, but their impact depends largely on each person's context. Collective benefits , on the other hand, act on group dynamics: they allow for the earlier detection of signs of distress, distribute responsibility , reduce stigma, and strengthen a sense of belonging. Peer groups function precisely according to this community logic of mutual recognition and support.
Promoting mental health through leisure
Practices that work in spaces with teenagers
Beyond grand policies, community is also built in everyday life. In the spaces we share with teenagers, there are concrete practices that make a difference:
- Create healthy rituals: generate a welcome that is a fixed space for expression and a farewell that closes the meeting.
- Give them roles, tasks, or small leadership positions that foster their autonomy and sense of belonging.
- Provide non-judgmental spaces through a talking circle, a quiet corner, or simply unstructured conversation. Not everything has to be a structured activity.
- Celebrate the everyday , recognizing progress, gestures of care or small improvements, to reinforce group confidence.
Building community is a cornerstone of mental health. The evidence confirms this, but above all, it's the daily experience of those of us who work with adolescents that bears witness to it. In a world that tends toward isolation, prioritizing genuine connections , from policy to educational settings, is a form of collective care and an investment in the future.
