Adolescent Mental Health in Contemporary Iran: A Body–Mind–Culture Perspective
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Adolescence is a critical developmental period marked by heightened vulnerability to psychosocial stressors. In contemporary Iran, prolonged socioeconomic strain, academic pressure, rapid cultural transitions, and digital exposure have created a climate of chronic stress for adolescents. This editorial adopts a body–mind–culture framework to examine how these conditions shape adolescent mental health, emphasizing the interdependence of psychological distress, psychosomatic symptoms, and sociocultural context. We argue that chronic stress among Iranian adolescents is increasingly expressed through somatic complaints, emotional dysregulation, and diminished well-being, often remaining under-recognized within existing health and educational systems. Drawing on current mental health and psychosomatic literature, this paper highlights the role of cultural meaning, family dynamics, and resilience resources in moderating stress-related outcomes. Finally, it calls for integrated, culturally responsive strategies across schools, healthcare, and public health policy to promote adolescent mental health and to address the embodied and contextual nature of psychological suffering in Iran.
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