On August 27, Geertjan gave a keynote on “Youth Prevention in a Changing Society” at the European Conference on Developmental Psychology in Vilnius. In his talk, he critically reflected on the widespread belief that youth mental health is deteriorating and offered a contrasting perspective: that as a society, we have developed a broader understanding of what constitutes psychopathology, clinical-level mental health problems, and severe stress.

To challenge this increasingly “darker” narrative around youth mental health, Geertjan emphasized the need for a more promotive approach to youth prevention—one that focuses on fostering positive development, competence, and resilience rather than solely addressing problems.