ABSTRACT
In this chapter, I explore the notion of mental health, and I note the problem with language, in that we talk of mental health when we often mean ill health. I have entitled the chapter “Is this the snowflake generation?” because this has become a common feature of any discourse about teenagers today. I use the chapter to review the evidence on this question. I conclude that there are many reasons why young people may be showing higher levels of mental ill-health, including restricted access to support and services, the impact of the pandemic, and the increased stress associated with exams and tests in school. In the chapter, I cover the possibility that the changes in the brain during these years may leave some teenagers more vulnerable to stress. I note that the processes of pruning and the slower maturation of the prefrontal cortex may give rise to temporary limitations in emotion regulation and the management of risk and other pressures. I also consider neurodiversity and outline some evidence concerning the conditions of ADHD and ASC. I then go on to look at the impact of childhood trauma on brain development, and to consider the possible impact of social media on mental ill-health. I end the chapter by concluding that there is no evidence to show that this generation is any more vulnerable than previous generations. The term “snowflake generation” is not an appropriate one to use in the context of teenagers today.
