***NEWS RELEASE***
For Immediate Release
April 20, 2026
CONTACT:
Hamilton Strategies, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Bogucki 610.584.1096, ext. 105, or Richard Jefferson, rjefferson@hamiltonstrategies.com
American youth are increasingly unhappy, report says; the answers are obvious but ignored
Dr. Alex McFarland: ‘Social media and technology are creating a surge of depression and isolation in this generation’
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Since 2012, Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre has published the annual World Happiness Report. In the 2026 rankings of 147 nations, the United States came in at No. 23.
But the real news is that the well-being of America’s youth is “falling off a cliff,” according to the Centre’s director, Jan-Emmanuel De Neve. Out of 136 countries, young people ages 15 to 24 in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand rank near the bottom for happiness. De Neve places much of the blame on smartphones and social media, noting that the more time teens spend on their screens — they average five hours a day — the unhappier they are. Other reasons include ultra-processed foods, lack of social ties, anxiety around the future of work, climate change, housing affordability, the rising cost of education and political polarization.
“There’s a powerful antidote to all of this: faith,” says renowned speaker, author and apologist Dr. Alex McFarland. “The world’s troubles and temptations can drag down young people and sap their hope for the future. Social media can be a constant distraction and even a destroyer. With the love of Christ, youth can find security, purpose and live more abundantly, just as Jesus promised us.”
Research bears this out. According to an article in BMC Psychology, “Spiritual and religious beliefs appear to help young people cope better with stressful life circumstances and get much-needed support from the community, especially in places where religion is an integral part of life.” Likewise, a Boston Globe article summarizing research on youths states, “Teens without a religious affiliation across the political spectrum started reporting that they felt lonely, worthless, anxious, and depressed at much higher rates starting in the early 2010s. However,religious teens, especially those who report being more conservative, did not.”
As a youth, culture and religion expert, McFarland has worked with young people and their families for decades, providing solid biblical teaching that gives them a grounding in Christ.
“Youth are growing up in the most technologically advanced society the world has ever seen, creating a surge of depression and isolation in this generation,” McFarland says. “I urge parents and guardians to point their children away from corrosive cultural influences like social media dependency and encourage them instead to embrace the love of Jesus. The truth of the Gospel will never let them down.”
This summer, in partnership withReasons For Hope, McFarland will be a featured speaker at the EQUIP Retreat Camps. Each camp is designed for middle and high school students who want to immerse themselves in learning about apologetics and biblical worldview from McFarland and other keynote speakers.
Alex McFarland currently co-hosts “Exploring the Word” on the American Family Radio Network, airing daily on nearly 200 radio stations across the U.S. He is also the host of the “Alex McFarland Show,” which airs weekly on NRB TV and YouTube. The “Alex McFarland Show” podcast is available here.
McFarland and theologian Bert Harper, veteran cohosts of the nationally syndicated broadcast “Exploring the Word,” are proud to announce their newest book, “100 Bible Questions and Answers on Prophecy and the End Times.” Available now, the book concisely answers biblical questions about God, Scripture, Christian Living, and more. A follow-up to their previous work, “100 Bible Questions and Answers for Families,” this book promises to guide you through some of the most fascinating and frequently misunderstood topics in Christianity: end-times prophecy and life in the everlasting new creation.
Alex McFarland has authored or co-authored more than 21 books, including the newly released 100 Bible Questions & Answers on Prophecy and the End Times,” “10 Issues that Divide Christians,” “The God You Thought You Knew,” “10 Answers for Skeptics,” “10 Answers for Atheists,” “The 21 Toughest Questions Your Kids Will Ask About Christianity,” published by Focus on the Family, and more.
McFarland is a frequent guest on Fox News and has been interviewed by other media outlets including Fox and Friends, Focus On The Family radio, NPR’s All Things Considered, The New York Times, The Washington Post, BBC, CBN, La Vie (France), and various news outlets including CBS, FOX, NBC, CSPAN, SRN, and the Associated Press (AP) wire service. He is a contributing writer in print and electronic media, including LA Times, Boston Herald, OK- Celebrity News Magazine, Christianity Today, Charisma, On Mission, Billy Graham’s Decision Magazine and more.
Learn more about Alex McFarland Ministries at its website, Facebook and Instagram pages, or X feed.
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To schedule interviews with Alex McFarland, contact Hamilton Strategies, media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096 ext. 105, or Richard Jefferson, rjefferson@hamiltonstrategies.com.
