One could argue that there is an ‘over diagnosing’ going on (and actually I, myself think that’s the case in many regions), but this can’t be the only explanation why childhood stress, psychological problems and self-abuse are increasing.

This paper links it to play, or rather the absence of room for play, from the press release:

Gone are the hazy days when kids could run free all day and play. Urbanisation has had many implications for childhood play but at the core humans are still ‘hunter-gatherers’ and need to seek out knowledge of ‘being social’ through experience and discovery. Through play “children develop… an emergent sense of competence … feelings of ‘belonging’, ‘usefulness’, and subsequent well-being.” When deprived of play, children lack social connectivity and have less ‘mental wellness’. Is lack of play contributing to a dysfunctional society?

Childhood free play is the basis on which individuals develop many crucial social skills which equip them for the intricacies of life in adult communities. UNICEF states, free play in peer groups helps children “learn and practise the control of aggression, the management of conflict, the earning of respect and friendship, discussion of feelings, appreciation of diversity, and awareness of the needs and feelings of others.” With play at the core of children’s social development, why are we continually degrading it?

Play is a global universal; throughout evolution it has always been important. The authors urge UK/US policy makers to rethink and reinstate the importance of play vs. adult-led learning. They conclude that increased opportunities for free play are the key to organic development of a healthy generation.

I remember other research on the fear of parents that might hinder children to go out to play, a link to urbanisation actually.

Abstract of the paper:

There is increasing concern about declining mental health amongst children in the UK and the USA. Evolutionary and anthropological theorists have begun to build a theory linking this situation to decreasing opportunities to engage in free play. This paper will explore typical contexts for children in these nations, concluding that a range of recently emerging environments have decreased opportunities for collaborative peer free play and ‘discovery’ activities for the current generation. We will draw the theoretical analysis from a broad area of research encompassing psychology, anthropology, education, sociology, marketing, and philosophy to offer a new blend of practical and theoretical perspectives that may shed further light upon this topic.