Examining the mental well-being levels of young people who are members of the youth center

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the mental well-being levels of young individuals who are members of youth centers and to examine whether these levels differ according to various demographic variables, including gender, age, education level, presence of chronic disease, psychological disorder, physical activity status, income level, and duration of membership. Material and Method: A descriptive survey design was employed in this study. The population consisted of young individuals registered at youth centers affiliated with the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Malatya province. The sample included 150 participants (101 females, 49 males) aged between 14 and 29 years, selected using a simple random sampling method. Data were collected using a demographic information form and the short form of the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS-SF). Statistical Analyses: Data analyses were conducted using the IBM SPSS Statistics 27 software package. Since the data did not meet the normality assumption, non-parametric tests, namely the Mann–Whitney U test and the Kruskal–Wallis H test, were applied. Findings: The overall mental well-being levels of the participants were determined to be at a moderate-to-high level. No statistically significant differences were found in mental well-being scores according to gender, physical activity status, presence of chronic disease, income level, or education level. However, participants with a psychological disorder exhibited significantly lower WEMWBS scores. Conclusion: Youth centers play a supportive role in enhancing individuals' psychological and social well-being; however, individual health conditions and psychological factors may be more decisive in determining mental well-being levels. The findings also provide a basis for the development and diversification of psychosocial support services, recreational activities, and healthy lifestyle programs within youth centers.