Young people around the world are increasingly suffering from anxiety disorders. A team from the Mental Health Research and Treatment Center (FBZ) at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, has investigated how this development correlates to changes in societal expectations and values in education. The researchers were able to show that religious belief plays a key role in protecting the mental health of children and adolescents. Countries where religiosity has lost significance exhibit a relatively high increase in the incidence of anxiety disorders, as the researchers report in the journal Developmental Science from February 11, 2026.

For their work, the scientists analyzed data from 70 countries across all continents. They observed developments over the past three decades from 1989 to 2022. Health data on the prevalence of anxiety disorders in small children, children, and adolescents in the respective countries served as the basis for the analysis. Cultural data from the World Values Survey were also included. This global social science network focuses on shifts in cultural values and their impacts on political and social life.

“Social ideals of how children should behave changed considerably worldwide over time,” says the main author of the study, Leonard Kulisch. “Because of this, we wanted to find out whether these changed expectation patterns correlate to the increase in anxiety disorders.”

Unlike before, values like obedience played a subordinate role in education in Western countries, according to the study. Instead, it is more desirable to promote children’s independence and individuality. The analysis has shown that this shift in the Western perspective may aid in the development of anxieties in children and adolescents in these countries.

Across all continents, decreased religiosity in child-raising is the most significant risk factor for anxiety disorders, “probably because religiosity fosters a sense of community and provides guidance for one’s life,” says Kulisch. The gradual disappearance of religion as a resource could leave a void. “Families are lonelier and have a less stable social network, and everyday routines are vanishing.” Yet these are key factors in children’s mental health as they grow up.

Against this background, the study provides important reference points for parents and social attitudes. “Individuality and independence are beneficial in existing economic systems in order to remain competitive and promote innovation,” says Kulisch. “Yet in Western countries, these values have exceeded the healthy threshold.” Because religion as a source of community and meaning in education is losing importance in many places, it is becoming increasingly important to reinforce alternative means for fostering these protective factors in children. “Activity in clubs and groups, as well as civil engagement, could be significant factors in counteracting the development of anxiety disorders.” Daycare centers and schools should work to specifically promote the sense of community among children and youth in the facilities, says the scientist.