An existential analysis of children’s experiences with despair

Children today are growing up in an age largely characterized by its multiple ongoing crises – examples including escalating wars and conflicts, pending ecological collapse, pandemics, and the unchecked rise of artificial intelligence. These events are not abstract realities for children; instead, they internalize them through traditional media and the internet (e.g., social media), overheard conversations, and lived experiences. In our team’s research on mental health interventions with children, one theme has repeatedly surfaced in our analyses: despair. Many children articulate a deep sense of hopelessness over a future they believe has been stolen from them. Drawing from the existentialist literature, this perspective article seeks to interpret the meaning of children’s experience of despair in relation to global catastrophes, while also situating their suffering within broader political structures that perpetuate inaction and systemic neglect. Rather than shielding them from discomfort, we conclude that adults must bear witness to it and embrace their varied expressions of despair – offering empathy and sincerity in the process, as well as a willingness to metaphorically sit with them in the dark. By listening and attending deeply to children’s concerns, we can better support them in navigating this difficult emotion. Given the stark gap in current research, this perspective article calls on scholars to further investigate the psychological and existential dimensions of children’s despair as they continue facing today’s mounting global threats.