Lene Lindberg1, Inga Swanberg. 1. Unit of Mental Health, Stockholm Center of Public Health, Stockholm, Sweden. lene.lindberg@sll.se
Abstract
AIM: The main purpose was to examine if interpersonal relations, mental distress, somatic symptoms and health behaviours could be protective or risk factors for the subjective well-being of 12-year-old school children. METHODS: After ethical and parental permission a questionnaire was completed by 807 pupils in the sixth grade of 18 randomised schools in seven rural and urban districts in the north-west area of Stockholm. The questionnaire was a modified version of the WHO Health Behaviour in School-Ages Children Study and the Youth Self-Report Questionnaire. Well-being was measured by the question, 'How are you these days'? Measures of protective or risk factors were relations to parents, teacher/schoolwork and peers, eating and safety habits, somatic symptoms, anxious/depressed and aggressiveness. RESULTS: Logistic regressions were performed with well-being as dependent variable before and after adjustment for gender, which was the only significant background factor. Finally, a multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted with gender and the six significantly related predictors as independent variables. In the multiple model, relations to teacher/school and peers, eating habits, anxious/depressed and somatic symptoms were associated with well-being and yielded significant odds ratios. CONCLUSIONS: Relations to teacher/school, relations to peers and good eating habits could be protective factors for subjective well-being, while somatic and anxious/depressed symptoms may be risk factors for ill-being. This indicates an increased need for interpersonal relations and mental health-oriented, promotive interventions in schools.
AIM: The main purpose was to examine if interpersonal relations, mental distress, somatic symptoms and health behaviours could be protective or risk factors for the subjective well-being of 12-year-old school children. METHODS: After ethical and parental permission a questionnaire was completed by 807 pupils in the sixth grade of 18 randomised schools in seven rural and urban districts in the north-west area of Stockholm. The questionnaire was a modified version of the WHO Health Behaviour in School-Ages Children Study and the Youth Self-Report Questionnaire. Well-being was measured by the question, 'How are you these days'? Measures of protective or risk factors were relations to parents, teacher/schoolwork and peers, eating and safety habits, somatic symptoms, anxious/depressed and aggressiveness. RESULTS: Logistic regressions were performed with well-being as dependent variable before and after adjustment for gender, which was the only significant background factor. Finally, a multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted with gender and the six significantly related predictors as independent variables. In the multiple model, relations to teacher/school and peers, eating habits, anxious/depressed and somatic symptoms were associated with well-being and yielded significant odds ratios. CONCLUSIONS: Relations to teacher/school, relations to peers and good eating habits could be protective factors for subjective well-being, while somatic and anxious/depressed symptoms may be risk factors for ill-being. This indicates an increased need for interpersonal relations and mental health-oriented, promotive interventions in schools.