Résumé
Purpose of Study: Since 1972, Bhutan has followed the philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH) - an alternative to GDP which quantifies the holistic wellness of its citizens' as opposed to the production of materials as a metric of the nation's development & prosperity. Nonetheless, the government identified youth and young adult (YYA) mental health to be a major/increasing point of concern from a 2015 national survey, indicating need for a closer look at Bhutan's mental health burden. By exploring YYA perspectives of mental health via an online survey, we hope to inform resource creation, support existing infrastructure, & guide future research. Methods Used: Survey questions were developed via collaboration of Canadian and Bhutanese shareholders to ensure cultural appropriateness and relevance. In all, 11 demographics questions, 17 10-point Likert scale questions, and 7 written answer questions were included in the survey. Students enrolled at university in Thimphu, Bhutan, between the ages of 18-25 inclusive and who are Bhutanese citizens or who have lived the majority of their life in the country were recruited via email. 289 participants consented to & completed the online survey via Qualtrics. Survey responses were quantitatively analyzed in R-Studio, save for written responses still under qualitative analysis in NVivo and not included in this discussion. Summary of Results: On average, YYA indicated feeling sad, anxious, and/or depressed more frequently than they perceived peers/family to feel the same. Strong agreement was seen regarding treatability of mental health conditions (median of 9 on 10-point Likert scale). Environmental factors, adverse childhood experiences, & personal weakness were noted to have detrimental impacts on wellbeing. The majority of respondents indicated positive familial relationships & confidence in parents to understand/support mental health issues, with medians for all family-related 10-point Likert scale questions being above 7.5. Most respondents agreed they were able to get through difficult times and be self-reliant, with all associated 10-point Likert questions having a median over 5 for moderate agreement. A general positive response to using apps or websites as mental health resources was noted. Relating to COVID-19, minimal negative outcomes in terms of diet, anxiety/depression, home life, & substance use were reported. Strong agreement (median of over 7.5 on 10-point Likert scale) was noted with regard to increases in domestic violence as a result of the pandemic. Conclusion(s): Differences between self-ratings and perceptions of others' mental health by Bhutanese YYA indicate a lack of open communication about the topic. Directing resources towards discussions about mental health may be beneficial - especially if technologically accessible. Impacts of the pandemic may continue to develop as Bhutan emerges from lockdown protocols;increasing domestic violence is a primary concern of Bhutanese YYA meriting research.