Objectives. To evaluate worker well-being in the US governmental public health workforce using data from the 2024 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS). Methods. We analyzed data from 48 949 respondents (weighted n = 204 823) working in 48 state health agencies and 1178 local health departments. Worker well-being was measured using the validated Thriving From Work Questionnaire. We conducted weighted analyses examining group differences across demographic, occupational, and organizational characteristics. Results. Mean thriving scores were 35.6 (SD = 7.4) out of 48, indicating moderate levels of work-related well-being. Older workers (aged ≥ 55 years) and those with 0 to 5 years tenure reported highest thriving; midcareer workers (6-15 years) reported lowest levels. Fully remote workers reported highest thriving. Supervisors and managers reported lower thriving than nonsupervisors and executives. Small and medium-sized local health departments showed higher thriving than large departments and state agencies. Conclusions. This first national assessment of public health workforce thriving identifies critical intervention priorities: midcareer support, workplace flexibility, fairness and inclusion, and enhanced supervisor support. Though effect sizes were small, these patterns have meaningful implications for workforce retention across more than 200 000 employees. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print July 16, 2026:e1-e12. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308602).
Background and Purpose: Based on the need for a systematic assessment of thriving levels in nursing, this study aimed to adapt the Thriving in Nursing Questionnaire into Turkish and to determine its psychometric properties. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 200 nurses. Data were collected using the Thriving in Nursing Questionnaire and Thriving at Work Scale. Language, content, and construct validity were examined, and reliability analyses were performed. Results: Regarding validity, the scale's content validity index was determined to be .92. The confirmatory factor analysis results further confirmed the model fit with values of χ²/df = 3.81, comparative fit index = .92, Tucker-Lewis index = .90, root-mean-square error of approximation = .08, and standardized root-mean-square residual = .06. The three-factor, 15-item structure was confirmed. The scale also demonstrated excellent internal reliability, with a coefficient alpha of .943. Conclusions: These findings indicate that the Turkish version of the Thriving in Nursing Questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing the thriving levels of nurses.
To explore the latent profile categories of nurses' artificial intelligence readiness and analyze the relationship between these categories and thriving at work, so as to provide references for nursing managers to develop targeted management strategies to enhance nurses' level of thriving at work. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from February to April 2026 among 498 nurses from five hospitals in Anhui Province, China. Data were collected using a general information questionnaire, the Medical Artificial Intelligence Readiness Scale, and the Thriving at Work Scale. Latent profile analysis was performed using the 22 artificial intelligence readiness items as manifest indicators. Model selection was based on information criteria, entropy, likelihood-ratio tests, profile size, posterior classification probabilities, parsimony, and interpretability. Chi-square tests, one-way analysis of variance, and multinomial logistic regression were used for exploratory profile comparisons. Three profiles were identified: low artificial intelligence readiness (n = 70, 14.06%), moderate artificial intelligence readiness (n = 283, 56.82%), and high artificial intelligence readiness (n = 145, 29.12%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that department, hospital level, frequency of AI use over the past 6 months, and receipt of AI-related training were major influencing factors of the latent categories of nurses' artificial intelligence readiness (all p < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the level of thriving at work among nurses in different latent categories of artificial intelligence readiness (p < 0.05). Artificial intelligence readiness among nurses is heterogeneous, and approximately one-third of nurses were classified into a high-readiness profile. The level of thriving at work varies among nurses in different latent categories of artificial intelligence readiness. Nursing managers and public health administrators should consider profile-specific strategies that combine targeted artificial intelligence training, clinical practice support, and career development for nurses.
To introduce and theoretically articulate the RESTORE framework, a multi-level model explaining how leadership, organisational conditions, and relational processes interact to support workforce resilience and sustainable thriving in nursing academia. Nursing academia faces growing strain from workforce shortages, escalating role demands and limited clinical education capacity. Current resilience models emphasise individual coping and overlook organisational and relational influences on well-being. System-level approaches that reconceptualise resilience as a pathway to thriving are required. Theoretical and conceptual analysis. The RESTORE framework was developed using abductive reasoning and iterative synthesis across organisational resilience, leadership, empowerment, trauma-informed, and sustainability literatures. Key theories were comparatively analysed and integrated to identify core mechanisms operating across individual, relational, and organisational levels. The framework was refined using established criteria for conceptual clarity, parsimony, explanatory adequacy and applied relevance. Relevant scholarship from multiple disciplines was reviewed to support and advance the theoretical development. RESTORE conceptualises resilience as an emergent, thriving-oriented capability produced through interacting relational (empathy, strength-based leadership), regulatory (thinking/timing, emotional and cognitive regulation), and structural (capacity optimisation, empowerment) mechanisms. These mechanisms are theorised to support psychological safety, engagement, learning, adaptive performance, and workforce sustainability within nursing academic systems. RESTORE reframes resilience from individual recovery to sustainable thriving and provides a foundation for leadership development, organisational policy, and future empirical research. The framework informs leadership and workforce sustainability across nursing education and academic-clinical partnership contexts. The RESTORE framework integrates relational, regulatory, and structural perspectives to enhance leadership and sustainability. It shows how empathy, sense-making, capacity optimisation and empowerment support adaptive performance, positioning resilience as a systemic process shaped by organisational conditions. This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct or reporting.
Family meals are widely recognized and studied as a cornerstone of youth well-being. However, the indirect associations linking family meals to youth well-being remain underexplored. The current cross-sectional study examined the family dinner frequency and family environment quality and two primary youth outcomes: youth depressive symptoms and positive youth development. A total of 166 parent-youth dyads (youth Mage = 15.2, SD = 1.35, 51% boys, 47% girls, and 2% nonbinary or transgender; parent Mage = 41.2, SD = 4.83, 36% men, 63% women, and 1% nonbinary) living in the United States completed an online survey in the summer of 2021 or 2022. Using the common fate model, within the structural equation modeling framework, the present study incorporated reports from parents and youth on dinner frequency, family cohesion, and family conflict as dyad-level constructs to test the research aims and examine dyad-level processes. More frequent family dinners were associated with better youth well-being, as indicated by lower depressive symptoms (R² = .186, β = -.33, p < .001) and higher positive youth development (R² = .346, β = .50, p < .001). Moreover, the association between family dinner frequency and youth depressive symptoms was explained by family cohesion (β = -.23, 95% CI [-5.206, -1.276]) and family conflict (β = -.31, 95% CI [-8.710, -1.614]). Similarly, the association of family dinner frequency and positive youth development was explained by family cohesion (β = .25, 95% CI [0.096, 0.326]) and family conflict (β = .27, 95% CI [0.085, 0.501]). Findings suggest that efforts to encourage more frequent family dinners should prioritize not only the frequency of family interactions but also the quality of the interactions during time spent together. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
Disinvestment in segregated, low-income Black communities is rooted in structural racism and racial capitalism and contributes to racial health inequities. Virtual audits have been used to capture visible signs of neighborhood disinvestment, however, these methods have been primarily used and validated in dense urban cities in the Northeast and Western U.S. We used Google Street View to conduct virtual audits in the Jackson, Mississippi tri-county metropolitan area-a mid-sized, urban area in the U.S. South. Our approach engaged residents and community organizers in conversations to inform our interpretation of the local context and utilized exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to develop a total disinvestment score for each observed street segment. In select neighborhoods, we also assessed neighborhood disinvestment longitudinally. We found that disinvestment scores were higher in historically Black neighborhoods and within Jackson city limits compared to surrounding, majority-white counties and increased over time in some neighborhoods. Our score was positively associated with housing vacancy, unemployment, residential segregation by race and income, and negatively associated with owner-occupied housing. Virtual audits can be valid tools for measuring physical signs of disinvestment in low-density cities in the US South, and for measuring contributions of the built environment to population health inequities.
The History of Medicine Library at the Royal Australasian College of Physicians is now one of the leading comprehensive research collections on the history of medicine of Australasia. This is a far cry from the founding fellows' original proposition in 1938, when they felt the need for a 'scientific library' to ensure the academic standards of their fledgling college. The present library has been made possible by donations from many personal and corporate collections. The first was a gift from the Royal College of Physicians of London in 1954, which redirected the focus to the history of medicine, followed in 1978 by the first munificent gift from Sir Edward Ford of his personal collection of Australiana. In the concluding decades of the 20th century, the value of all traditional history of medicine libraries worldwide was brought into question. Our library has survived the threat of dispersal on several occasions. The library and the extensive heritage collection of archives, artefacts, artwork and an image library have adapted to the challenges of the digital age, with greater visibility and accessibility through digital platforms. Our library, with its own unique history, has never looked so vibrant.
The purpose of this article is to move beyond the vulnerability/deficit model of women and to focus on women's strengths and their ability to thrive in the face of adversity. Thriving is a dynamic process of adaptation, influenced by numerous individual and social factors; it emerges and changes over the life course and may be identified in behavioral, cognitive, or affective domains. The foundation of this concept comes from the literature on resilience, but it goes beyond the common view of resilience as homeostasis. It suggests, instead, a value-added construct whereby challenge provides an opportunity for change and growth. Understanding the concept and process of thriving can provide an important basis for theoretical development, empirical research, and clinical intervention. Thriving can provide a framework within which to examine the antecedents and consequences of differential reactions to health-related challenges. Knowledge of the factors that promote thriving can provide an important foundation for a paradigm shift away from a focus on illness and pathology toward one that understands, explains, and nurtures health.
Historical as well as ongoing sociocultural and sociopolitical contexts deeply affect trauma exposure and recovery among Latine immigrants. Violent immigration policies, xenophobia and racism, as well as social disadvantages all contribute to a high trauma burden among Latine immigrants in the United States. However, Latine immigrants also display deep resilience and strengths that support their continued survival in these contexts-a phenomenon we call soul endurance. Method: The justice-based interdisciplinary thriving framework is a novel approach, grounded in clinical observation and research, for conceptualizing trauma recovery among Latine immigrants, addressing their lived realities while leveraging key strengths. Key elements of this framework include integrating multiple disciplines into trauma treatment, employing culturally responsive treatment modalities, and designing treatments that address not only individual- but also community-level needs. The overarching goal of this framework is to promote trauma healing in the Latine immigrant community, which represents a more holistic and tailored approach to trauma treatment. By taking a justice-oriented, interdisciplinary approach, we aim to promote thriving rather than merely surviving among Latine immigrants. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
Streptococcus mutans remains a key etiologic agent of dental caries by thriving in dysbiotic plaque biofilms that sustain low pH and abundant extracellular matrix. Although acidogenesis and extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) synthesis are long recognized virulence traits, accumulating evidence indicates that a coordinated network of extracellular proteins is the operational interface that links carbohydrate metabolism to adhesion, matrix architecture, quorum-guided behaviors, and ecological competition. Here we review major surface-anchored and secreted proteins and peptides that drive cariogenic fitness, including adhesins, glucan-binding proteins, collagen-binding proteins (Cnm/Cbm), the LPXTG display machinery, autolysin-mediated extracellular DNA (eDNA) release, protease control of pheromone maturation, glucosyltransferases, peptide pheromones, and secreted bacteriocins/mutacins. We synthesize emerging concepts on how these factors build composite matrices composed of glucans, proteins, and eDNA, create diffusion-limited acidic microenvironments, and couple competence and bacteriocin programs to community restructuring. We highlight underappreciated layers of regulation, such as matrix-retained signaling, interplay between the competence-stimulating peptide (CSP) and ComX-inducing peptide (XIP) circuits, and enzymes such as SMU_833/RgpI that may tune glucan-eDNA interactions. Beyond the mouth, we discuss evidence that Cnm/Cbm-positive lineages expand tissue tropism and contribute to extra-oral diseases, including infective endocarditis and cardiovascular complications, motivating risk-stratified interventions. Finally, we assess therapeutic opportunities that emphasize anti-virulence and precision strategies targeting extracellular mechanisms while sparing commensals. We conclude by outlining key knowledge gaps and future directions toward integrated anti-biofilm interventions that attenuate S. mutans pathogenicity while preserving commensal-driven oral ecological stability.
Floristic diversity and paleoclimatic estimates revealed that the Middle Miocene Zhangpu flora from Southeast China was a diverse ancient tropical rainforest, but our knowledge on the structure and ecology of this rainforest is still limited. Here we report the presence of lianas in the Zhangpu flora based on exquisitely preserved fossil flowers of Ayenia. Two fossil flowers, preserved in amber, were investigated with light microscopy and X-ray tomography, and are described herein as Ayenia zhangpuensis sp. nov. and Ayenia sp. The flower of Ayenia zhangpuensis is bisexual and pentamerous. Its sepals are ovate, the petals are clawed, with an inner ridge on their hood delimiting a fossa, together forming a lantern-like corolla around the androecium and gynoecium. The androecium forms a campanulate staminal tube; the gynoecium is syncarpous with a superior ovary. The other specimen, treated informally as Ayenia sp. differs from A. zhangpuensis in having more incurved and elongate sepals. The two fossil flowers closely resemble extant flowers of the Ayenia section Vahihara (former Byttneria section Vahihara), almost all species of which are unarmed lianas thriving in humid tropical conditions. The striking similarities between fossil and extant flowers of the Ayenia section Vahihara suggest a morphological stasis in floral structure within a tropical liana lineage since at least the mid-Miocene. Together with other climbing plants known from the Zhangpu flora, our study shows that this Miocene rainforest is comparable to modern Southeast Asian rainforests in both floristic composition and inferred forest structure.
Professional quality of life comprehensively reflects both positive and negative experiences of nurses in helping professions, yet its latent profiles and relationship with posttraumatic growth remain unclear. To identify latent profiles of nurses' professional quality of life and to explore the differences in posttraumatic growth across different profiles. A cross-sectional study. Nurses (n = 1010) from 10 tertiary general hospitals in Sichuan Province, China, were recruited from April to June 2025. Participants were asked to complete questionnaires assessing sociodemographic characteristics, professional quality of life, and posttraumatic growth. Latent profile analysis was used to identify professional quality of life profiles. Data were analyzed using univariate analysis, multivariate logistic regression, and hierarchical linear regression. Three professional quality of life profiles among nurses were identified: "Depleted" (12.48%), "Balanced" (63.96%), and "Thriving" (23.56%). Profiles were associated with marital status, weekly exercise, daily sleep hours, weekly work hours, main shift, and workplace violence. Hierarchical regression showed that different profiles were significantly associated with posttraumatic growth among nurses. Nurses' professional quality of life demonstrates group heterogeneity, which is associated with individual and work-related characteristics, and professional quality of life profiles are significantly associated with posttraumatic growth. The findings may enable administrators to recognize the needs of nurses in different profiles and consider targeted strategies, such as improving the work environment and providing psychological support, to foster nurses' psychological resources and positive growth.
The management of large-scale bone defects, particularly in oncological contexts, necessitates scaffolds that provide both structural resilience and protection against recalcitrant infections. In this study, we developed multifunctional 3D-printed magnetic bioactive glass (MBG) scaffolds with a composition of 45SiO2-20Na2O-23CaO-6P2O5-2.5B2O3-1ZnO-2MgO-0.5CaF2, reinforced with 0.4% iron carbide (Fe3C) nanoparticles. Utilizing extrusion-based 3D printing, we engineered scaffolds with three distinct architectures: Grid, Gyroid, and Schwarz D. Structural and phase characterization via X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier-transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) confirmed the successful integration of the dopant and the fidelity of the printed geometries. Compressive and compressive-shear tests were conducted to evaluate the strength of MBG scaffolds. Flexural strength and fracture toughness were evaluated through three-point bend tests. The Gyroid structure exclusively exhibited comparatively good mechanical properties, potent antibacterial activity against two antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARBs) of E. coli and Bacillus spp., and antibiofilm activity. This study demonstrates that the customized TPMS architecture offers a promising strategy for developing next-generation bone grafts capable of thriving in complex, infection-prone clinical environments.
The production of second-generation bioethanol from lignocellulosic biomass is a promising solution for sustainable energy, yet it faces significant challenges also due to the inhibitory effects of weak acids released during biomass pretreatment, particularly acetic, formic and levulinic acids. This review describes the ability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with a focus on natural isolates, in overcoming these challenging compounds. Indeed, natural isolates exhibit greater genetic and phenotypic diversity than laboratory and industrial strains, offering unique traits such as enhanced stress tolerance, metabolic efficiency, and adaptive responses to weak acids. This investigation explores the transcriptional and genomic mechanisms underlying yeast adaptive responses, emphasizing key regulatory networks and resistance pathways, including drug H+ antiporters, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) mitigation strategies, and membrane composition adjustments. Strategies for strains improvement, involving adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE), genome shuffling, and hybridization, are also discussed as complementary approaches to develop robust yeast capable of thriving under stressful industrial fermentation conditions. The integration of these techniques, along with genomic and transcriptomic insights, provides a comprehensive framework for engineering high-performance yeast strains. Ultimately, this review underscores the potential of leveraging natural diversity and innovative biotechnological strategies to advance the scalability and efficiency of lignocellulosic bioethanol production through S. cerevisiae fermentation. Weak acids represent major inhibitory compounds in lignocellulosic fermentations, affecting the industrial viability of second-generation bioethanol. While most research has focused on laboratory or engineered strains, natural isolates of Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be still considered a resource of unexplored tolerance traits. This review highlights how omics-based insights into natural strains’ adaptive responses provide novel opportunities for metabolic engineering, particularly in weak acid resistance. By integrating genetic variability, ploidy diversity, and systems biology perspectives, a yeast strain capable of overcoming industrial-relevant stresses such as weak acids can be designed, advancing sustainable bioethanol production and expanding the scope of microbial biotechnology.
One in four infants is born too small or too early, increasing the risk of poor growth, development, ill health and death. This risk is exacerbated by recurring conflict and climatic shocks. The management of small and nutritionally at-risk infants under 6 months and their mothers (MAMI) care pathway was integrated into primary healthcare to ensure continuous mother-infant-centred care in South Sudan. This study explored the acceptability of the MAMI approach for service providers and users and the factors influencing their adherence. A qualitative study was embedded in a mixed-methods study following vulnerable mother-infant pairs. MAMI care included sensitisation and screening in the community and health facility, in-depth assessment and risk-based care addressing physical, mental and nutritional vulnerability of infants and mothers. Semi-structured interviews of 20 health workers and 30 mothers explored acceptability and adherence to MAMI care provision and use. Themes of perceived acceptability of MAMI care were mapped across coherence, self-efficacy, affective attitude, burden, ethicality, opportunity cost and perceived effectiveness. Health workers were most apprehensive about the additional workload and time required to implement the care pathway. Mothers expressed concern over the numerous health visits far from their homes and not having supportive family members. Factors promoting adherence to MAMI care provision and use were mapped across capability, opportunity and motivation. Health workers' self-confidence was boosted by the new knowledge and skills they acquired through training and mentorship. Mothers reported learning practical ways to care for their infants independently and to witness the positive impact on their infants' thriving. MAMI care was accepted for addressing the needs of a previously overlooked vulnerable group. Effective integrated MAMI care requires resolving delivery and use gaps and overcoming challenges that undermine adherence from both providers and users.
Molecular clock and preservation of early microfossil assemblages suggest that eukaryotes were present and already diverse more than ~1600 million years ago (Ma). Yet, the earliest identifiable eukaryotic crown group fossil only appeared around 1050 Ma, leaving a ~600 My gap in the Mesoproterozoic during which the evolution and diversification of early eukaryotes remain poorly understood. Here, we infer a timeline of eukaryote evolution using molecular clock and birth-death diversification models, including the large diversity of environmental sequences to take into account the uncultured majority of microbial life. Our analyses, based on a unique dataset of 75,975 nonredundant Operational Taxonomic Units and 77 well-supported fossil calibrations, indicate a steady diversification of crown group eukaryotes during the Proterozoic after the Last Eukaryotic Common Ancestor. We show that Archaeplastida was one of the earliest diversifying supergroups and the most diverse throughout the Proterozoic, suggesting that the first successful plastid endosymbiosis gave Archaeplastida a measurable evolutionary advantage. Discoba, Amoebozoa, and Rhizaria followed Archaeplastida in phylogenetic diversity throughout the Proterozoic, indicating that crown eukaryotes were already thriving in this Era. These results contrast with the common view that the geologically stable Proterozoic Era experienced little eukaryotic evolutionary innovation and indicate that all current supergroups were already established in the Mesoproterozoic.
Thermophilic cyanobacteria successfully colonize thermal gradients within hot springs, implying evolved mechanisms to cope with temperature-induced oxidative stress. Although polyphosphate (polyP) is known to contribute to oxidative stress resistance, its specific role in thermophilic cyanobacteria remains poorly understood. To address this, this study established a temperature gradient (30-70 °C) and used phloretin (polyP synthesis inhibitor) plus exogenous polyP to investigate polyP metabolism, redox homeostasis, photosynthetic function, and growth of Thermosynechococcus sp. FJSJ-1 from hot spring. The results show that temperature fluctuations specifically induce polyP accumulation, whereas inhibiting polyP synthesis sharply elevates reactive oxygen species (ROS) and overloads intrinsic defenses including superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione, and heat shock proteins. Crucially, exogenous polyP rescued phloretin-induced oxidative damage and growth inhibition. PolyP mitigates oxidative damage not by direct ROS scavenging but by integrating and reinforcing endogenous antioxidant network. This protective effect in turn safeguards photosystem II from oxidative attack, thereby preserving photosynthetic pigment stability, phycobiliprotein content, and electron transport efficiency. Taken together, polyP contributes to temperature adaptability in Thermosynechococcus sp. FJSJ-1 by coordinating antioxidant defense. This study elucidates a key molecular strategy for thriving across temperature ranges in geothermal ecosystems, advancing microbial adaptation knowledge and providing a theoretical basis for engineering thermotolerant strains for bioremediation and biofuel production.
The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly disrupted youth development; however, limited studies have explored the diverse patterns of household environments and their implications for youth and family well-being. This study aimed to identify trajectories of household chaos during the COVID pandemic and to investigate their associations with youth mental and physical health outcomes. Data were collected from 506 adults (M age = 42.8, SD age = 9.15) and 93 youth (M age = 14.5, SD age = 1.63). Using a retrospective cross-sectional design, participants reported their experiences across the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents and youth provided reports of household chaos for pre-, mid-, and post-COVID timepoints and on youth health-related outcomes at pre- and post. Latent Class Growth Analysis (LCGA), Analysis of Covariance, and Analysis of Variance were used. Using parent and youth self-report data, LCGA identified three trajectories of household chaos (low-chaos "thriving," 35.2%; high-chaos "worsening," 24.5%; and moderate-chaos "resilience," 40.3%). Dyadic and triadic analyses revealed differing parent and youth household chaos perceptions. Within the same family, younger youth showed greater concordance with parents compared to older youth. Youth on the high-chaos worsening trajectory exhibited higher levels of behavioral problems, emotional-behavioral dyscontrol, emotional distress-anxiety, sleep disturbance, and lower levels of positive affect and well-being, compared to one or both other trajectory groups. Findings highlight meaningful differences in parent and youth pandemic-related household chaos experiences, which are linked to youth health outcomes. Public health intervention and prevention programs should account for both shared and nonshared family experiences to better support youth well-being as part of future pandemic preparedness.
Globally, young people face escalating rates of mental health concerns, while traditional services often remain inaccessible. An emerging body of research suggests that participating in the arts, from everyday engagement to creative arts therapies, may benefit youth mental health, yet gaps persist in equitable access and youth perspectives. This research aimed to better understand young people's definitions of mental health and their perspectives on the role of the arts in supporting their mental health. This mixed-methods international study included an online survey, ups, qualitiative focus groups, dyadic interviews with youth aged 16-25 (N = 8) and poetic inquiry. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively (n = 56), while qualitative data from open survey responses and group discussions underwent Reflexive Thematic Analysis (N = 36). Recruitment prioritized diversity in age, geography, and lived experience, with ethical approval from New York University (NYU). Survey respondents revealed broad engagement across art forms, especially visual arts, literary arts, and music, as well as creative arts therapies. Arts participation was frequent, with 40% of respondents engaging daily. Among respondents who reported perceived mental health benefits (n = 44), 82% reported improved mood and 80% reported stress-management benefits. A combined 86% of respondents (n = 32/37) viewed youth voice as either very important or extremely important. Eight focus group participants further enriched the qualitative data. They associated mental health with being flexible and adaptable. Thematic analysis revealed core themes across the focus group and survey: the role of the arts in mental health promotion; art for social connection; personal development through the arts; young people believe art is essential; art leads to transformative experiences; and they identified barriers, enablers, and policy recommendations. Youth identified limited access and competitive environments as barriers, while low-barrier modalities, such as music-listening, fostered inclusion. Young people across diverse contexts view participating in the arts as essential to mental health and wellbeing, emphasizing that the arts should be embedded in public health and clinical care. They advocate for youth-led, culturally responsive, and multimodal arts initiatives embedded across schools, communities, and healthcare systems. Findings align with WHO youth mental health and country-specific recommendations, calling for greater investment in accessible, youth-driven programming, arts integration, and robust evaluation to capture health and social outcomes. This study reinforces the value of participating in the arts and creative arts therapies as a vital component of youth mental health promotion, prevention, and treatment, offering safe, expressive, and culturally resonant pathways for coping, healing, and thriving. How Young People Feel About the Arts for Their Mental HealthYouth mental health is a growing global concern. Traditional treatments are not always accessible or effective for everyone. The arts offer a promising additional way to support young people’s mental health, but there is limited knowledge about how youth experience and benefit from arts engagement in different contexts. This study asked, How do young people experience and engage with the arts? How do they define mental health? How does participation in the arts affect their mental health and wellbeing? What helps or hinders their access to arts-based mental health supports? The study combined online surveys and focus group discussions with youth aged 16 to 25 from multiple countries. Participants shared their experiences, perceptions, and recommendations about arts and mental health. Survey and focus group data were anonymized and analyzed to answer these questions. A group poem was co-created by participants during focus groups to capture what it means to engage in the arts. This study showed that youth valued participating in the arts and arts therapies as a way to support their mental health and wellbeing.
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