Understanding Gen Z is becoming an increasingly urgent task not only for scientists, sociologists, managers but also for policy makers. According to the General Statistics Office, Gen Z is forecast to contribute 1/3 of Vietnam's workforce by 2025.
Gen Z is facing psychological problems
Early exposure to digital platforms and being the most active generation of users on digital platforms, especially social networks, have contributed to making Gen Z (the generation born between 1997 and 2012) a very elusive group in terms of behavior and expectations in information reception, shopping, entertainment and learning activities.
Research by Dr. Dang Vu Canh Linh, Director of the Vietnam Youth Research Institute, shows that Gen Z is a generation born and raised when the country is developing strongly. They are the ones who benefit from many achievements of the country's innovation.
Gen Z has the opportunity to study, have their material needs met, have entertainment, access to science, modern technology, and the internet environment. They are considered a dynamic, creative generation, always receptive to new things.
Besides the strengths, Gen Z also has different psychological "crises" of adulthood than other generations. These are practicality (pragmatism), high need for enjoyment, easily discouraged, easily changed, and being respected by parents leading to an overly democratic mentality.
Gen Z is the generation of "netizens", said to be dependent on the internet, easily following social trends, excessively idolizing famous (even infamous) figures, easily absorbing and learning bad things...
That is the answer to why some Gen Z are successful and adapt quickly to digital society, but some fall into a state of disorientation, depression, and deadlock...
Dr. Dang Vu Canh Linh added: "The reality is that not only Gen Z but any generation of teenagers have to face strong psychological and physiological changes, especially during the transition from children to adults.
Dr. Dang Vu Canh Linh
Many researchers believe that common characteristics of adolescence are puberty, physiological changes, strange psychology, the tendency to explore, assert oneself, express, experience, gradually separate from family education, expand friendships to learn and adapt to society...
However, not only individual psychological characteristics but also social and temporal factors always have an impact, creating distinct characteristics of generations through the ages.
What to do to win the race of the times?
One of the reasons for the rate of psychological disorders among young people is that they have to "race" with the development speed of the times. According to Dr. Dang Vu Canh Linh, many researchers in the world borrow the term VUCA to describe this state, including: Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity.
Today's youth, under the impact of the 4.0 Industrial Revolution and rapid social change, are trying to adapt, compete, affirm their self-worth and reach for success.
However, they are also prone to falling into a state of VUCA, or psychophysiological crisis, when encountering obstacles, difficulties or failures in work and life. Crisis in beliefs and life values will directly lead to psychophysiological crisis and consequently, unhealthy and negative behaviors. It can even spread like a "disease" among young people.
In fact, not only Gen Z but any generation of teenagers also have to face strong psychological and physiological changes, especially during the transition from children to adults.
Dr. Dang Vu Canh Linh, Director of the Vietnam Youth Research Institute
"However, we should not be too pessimistic when looking at this issue. Adolescents are still at an age of strong socialization, always learning, raising awareness, shaping values and personality. We need to actively strengthen social institutions, create a healthy and positive educational environment for adolescents, in which the role of family, school and social community is indispensable.
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In addition to knowledge education, it is necessary to mobilize the participation of the whole society in improving legal education, life skills education, traditional values education, social ethics, setting more good examples and good deeds for young people; at the same time, mobilizing young people themselves to participate in these activities," Dr. Dang Vu Canh Linh emphasized.
According to the Director of the Vietnam Youth Research Institute, Gen Z or teenagers in general need to be aware of and practice positive thinking and lifestyle.
Generation Z has the advantage of accessing unlimited knowledge, has many different ways of learning and self-studying, so it is necessary to proactively filter knowledge, turning themselves into the best filter to eliminate negative states.
He also noted that, today, some young people still have the mentality of blaming when they fail, blaming circumstances, others, fate, bad luck and rarely identifying themselves correctly.
Self-identification is the process of perceiving and evaluating oneself, first of all trying to objectively evaluate one's strengths, weaknesses, strengths, and weaknesses, so as not to be deluded or have illusions about oneself. Self-identification also means the need to strictly adjust oneself, changing in a positive direction.
Finally, before each success or failure, identify yourself again to correctly evaluate what you have done, and not avoid responsibility. This is a positive psychological process, helping to orient positive behavior and actions.
Blaming and avoiding will hardly bring success in the future. Therefore, Gen Z needs to be more "honest" when placing their identity in plans and social relationships.
Having been the head and chair of more than 20 scientific research topics at the State, ministerial, provincial levels, international projects..., Dr. Dang Vu Canh Linh has a deep interest in the fields of culture, people, especially adolescents. His book "Adolescents and policies towards adolescents" was published by the Social Labor Publishing House in 2003. This is the first book about adolescents in Vietnam. In the near future, he will continue to publish a research book about the adolescent generation and Gen Z.
Source: https://pnvnweb.dev.cnnd.vn/gen-z-va-trang-thai-vuca-20250110140422727.htm
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