Mental health is a universal concern impacting individuals at every stage of life, influenced by a complex mix of biological, psychological, and social elements that shift as people age. Each phase from early childhood and adolescence through adulthood to older age presents unique mental health challenges, protective factors, and opportunities for early intervention. Early childhood and adolescence are crucial periods for identifying mental health issues as they emerge and for implementing preventive strategies that can shape outcomes well into later life. During adulthood, individuals commonly encounter stressors related to work, relationships, parenting, and identity development, which can trigger or exacerbate conditions such as anxiety, depression, substance use disorders etc. In later life, older adults face additional challenges like cognitive decline, social isolation, grief, chronic health problems, and loss of independence, all of which can profoundly impact mental wellbeing. Although awareness of the importance of a lifespan perspective in mental health is increasing, much research remains fragmented and focused on specific age groups. This segmentation limits comprehensive understanding of mental health across the entire life course. To bridge this gap, there is a critical need for integrated, longitudinal, and comparative research that tracks mental health trajectories, identifies risk and protective factors, evaluates access to care, and assesses age appropriate interventions. This special issue aims to consolidate interdisciplinary and international insights on mental health through a lifespan lens. It welcomes original research, systematic reviews, theoretical models, and case studies that explore mental health progression, age specific challenges, and intergenerational influences on psychological wellbeing.

Sub themes:

• Mental health issues in childhood and adolescence

• Early life and the role of the social environment

• Adverse childhood experiences and mental health

• Prevention and early intervention in youth mental health

• Mental health challenges in early adulthood

• Psychological wellbeing at the workplace

• Mental health in midlife

• Emotional adjustment during midlife transitions

• Mental and cognitive wellbeing in older adulthood

• Grief, loneliness, and social isolation in later life

• Ageism, stigma, and their impact on mental health

• Psychological support and emotional care at end of life

• Generational differences and its influence on mental health

Keywords: Mental health, lifespan perspective, age specific challenges, preventive strategies, protective factors, early intervention

Child and adolescent mental health is an urgent global concern, with increasing prevalence of anxiety, depression, behavioral problems, neurodevelopmental disorders, and self-harm. Rapid social changes, academic pressures, digital and social media influences, and the lingering psychological impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have intensified vulnerabilities in this age group. Persistent gaps remain in early detection, equitable access to care, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the safe integration of evidence-based innovations into clinical and community settings.

This Collection aims to provide a comprehensive platform for emerging research, critical reviews, and practice-based insights that advance understanding of mental health challenges among children and adolescents—while highlighting transformative innovations. We especially welcome studies on digital health and artificial intelligence (AI), including AI-assisted screening, machine learning–driven predictive models, tele-mental health, virtual reality therapies, and mobile applications designed for youth and families.

Recognizing that digital and AI-driven approaches carry unique risks for young populations, this Collection places strong and explicit emphasis on addressing the ethical, access, and data-privacy challenges embedded in these technologies. We actively encourage submissions that explore:

• Ethical safeguards and governance models for responsible AI use in youth mental health, including algorithmic transparency, bias mitigation, informed consent, and child-safeguarding principles;

• Data-privacy and security frameworks that protect sensitive behavioral, emotional, and biometric data collected through digital platforms;

• Equitable access challenges, including digital divides, disparities in device/internet availability, structural inequities, and cultural or linguistic barriers that limit benefit from digital innovations;

• Evaluation of risks, such as data misuse, surveillance, stigmatization, or unintended harms resulting from automated decision-making;

• Policy, regulatory, and implementation guidelines that ensure digital and AI tools are safe, trustworthy, and centered on the rights and well-being of children and adolescents.

By elevating these critical concerns, the Collection seeks to promote innovations that are not only technologically advanced but also ethically responsible, privacy-protective, culturally sensitive, and accessible across diverse global contexts.

In addition to digital innovations, the Collection welcomes scholarship on school-based programs, family-centered care, trauma-informed interventions, and community-level strategies. Bringing together perspectives from nursing, psychiatry, psychology, public health, data science, social sciences, and education, this Collection aims to stimulate global dialogue, strengthen evidence-based practice, and support the development of safe, scalable, and person-centered mental health solutions. Ultimately, the goal is to enhance resilience, reduce stigma, expand equitable access to quality care, and shape the future of child and adolescent mental health worldwide.

Keywords:

• Child mental health

• adolescent mental health

• Pediatric psychiatry

• cytogenetics

• neurodevelopmental Disorders

• Behavioral disorders

• Anxiety and depression

• Self-harm and suicide prevention

• Early identification and prevention

• Community-based mental health care

• Mental health nursing

• Artificial intelligence in mental health

• Tele-mental health

• mHealth applications

• Virtual reality–based interventions

• Ethical AI in youth mental health