ZURICH — The University of Zurich conducted a study evaluating open-ended written responses from 1,442 participants and found that 83% of the life events mentioned were positive. The study, published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry in 2026, surveyed participants at the ages of 15, 17, 20, and 24.

School, training, and apprenticeships accounted for almost half of all event mentions. Friendships and romantic relationships made up approximately 12% of mentions, while personal development and mental well-being accounted for about 8%. Travel and stays abroad represented approximately 7% of the mentioned events.

Participants in middle adolescence most frequently mentioned school, friendships, and leisure time. As participants progressed from adolescence to early adulthood, education, work, relationships, and independence grew in significance. Mentions of sport and going out decreased with age, while work, housing, and having children became more important topics.

The study found differences in responses based on gender, social background, and experiences of migration. Adolescents and young adults experiencing more severe symptoms of anxiety and depression mentioned stressful relationship experiences, conflicts, loss, and personal failures more often than other participants. These individuals also referred to positive events like travel, educational achievements, and sports activities less frequently.

David Bürgin, a clinical developmental psychologist and the first author of the study, said, "Our results show that youth is not primarily composed of crises. Many young people primarily mention positive developmental steps such as education, relationships and personal achievements."

Lilly Shanahan, a co-leader of the study, stated that "Support services should therefore not only focus on how to cope with stress. Stable relationships, positive experiences and opportunities to experience self- efficacy are just as important." The research team utilized automated language processing methods to evaluate the open-ended written responses from the participants.