Irene García-Moya1,2, Klara Johansson3, Susanne Ragnarsson3, Erik Bergström4, Solveig Petersen3. 1. CRIPACC, School of Health and Social Work, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK. 2. Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain. 3. Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Epidemiology and Global Health Unit, Umeå University, Umea, Sweden. 4. Department of Clinical Sciences, Pediatrics, Umeå University, Umea, Sweden.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Mental health in adolescents has become a major public health issue. This study examined school experiences in relation to mental health (emotional problems and conduct problems) from early to middle adolescence. METHODS: This longitudinal 3-year follow up study used data from the Swedish Study of Health in School Children in Umeå. Analyses were conducted in 1379 participants that were attending grade six in 2003 or 2006 (age 12 years). KIDSCREEN-52 was used to assess school experiences and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for emotional and conduct problems. Statistical analyses included repeated measures ANOVA and multiple linear regressions. RESULTS: Positive school experiences decreased while emotional and conduct problem scores increased from grades six to nine. Positive school experiences were negatively associated with emotional and conduct problem scores and contributed to the explanation of mental health scores in middle adolescence after controlling for background factors. When baseline mental health problem scores were taken into account the association with early school experiences disappeared (except for conduct problems in boys). However, incorporating concurrent school experiences in the analysis increased the levels of explanation for emotional and conduct problem scores further. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study confirm that school experiences are linked to emotional and conduct problems. That link may be stronger for conduct problems. In addition, the association of school experiences in early adolescence with later mental health may be overridden by concurrent school experiences in middle adolescence.
BACKGROUND: Mental health in adolescents has become a major public health issue. This study examined school experiences in relation to mental health (emotional problems and conduct problems) from early to middle adolescence. METHODS: This longitudinal 3-year follow up study used data from the Swedish Study of Health in School Children in Umeå. Analyses were conducted in 1379 participants that were attending grade six in 2003 or 2006 (age 12 years). KIDSCREEN-52 was used to assess school experiences and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for emotional and conduct problems. Statistical analyses included repeated measures ANOVA and multiple linear regressions. RESULTS: Positive school experiences decreased while emotional and conduct problem scores increased from grades six to nine. Positive school experiences were negatively associated with emotional and conduct problem scores and contributed to the explanation of mental health scores in middle adolescence after controlling for background factors. When baseline mental health problem scores were taken into account the association with early school experiences disappeared (except for conduct problems in boys). However, incorporating concurrent school experiences in the analysis increased the levels of explanation for emotional and conduct problem scores further. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study confirm that school experiences are linked to emotional and conduct problems. That link may be stronger for conduct problems. In addition, the association of school experiences in early adolescence with later mental health may be overridden by concurrent school experiences in middle adolescence.
Authors: Alexsandra da Silva Bandeira; Michael W Beets; Pablo Magno da Silveira; Marcus Vinicius Veber Lopes; Valter Cordeiro Barbosa Filho; Bruno G G da Costa; Kelly Samara Silva Journal: Front Psychol Date: 2021-02-18
Authors: Tim Cadman; Amanda Hughes; Caroline Wright; José A López-López; Tim Morris; Frances Rice; George Davey Smith; Laura D Howe Journal: J Affect Disord Date: 2021-09-13 Impact factor: 4.839