Life has never looked so bright or so bleak for Finland's youth. For instance, violent crimes are less common, but more brutal than ever before.
Sami Myllyniemi, the statistical designer at the Finnish Youth Research Society, says troubles seem to grow with rising income differences.
Finland's preschool teachers say they're not surprised by the psychological problems of today's youth. They say troubles begin to surface when children are in day-care. Often kids have to resort to violence before experts intervene.
However children with less obvious problems, such as restlessness and concentration difficulties, are often left to their own resources. Teachers are also concerned about the growing number of children who are unable to recognise or control their emotions. They say these kids are not learning how to handle their feelings at home.
Pirjo Pylväs, a rotating special education preschool teacher from Oulu, says it's not uncommon for her to encounter a child who demonstrates a complete lack of empathy.
A lack of resources makes it difficult for day-care staff to help children. For instance, the city of Oulu employs just one psychologist for all preschool children. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that many family psychologists have left their positions for higher paying jobs.
