Adolescent mental health in Japan and Russia: The role of body image,bullying victimisation and school environment

This study examined associations between self-reported mental health problems, body image, bullying victimisation and school safety in large adolescent samples in Japan and Russia, considering the effects of gender, culture and their interactions. In both Japan and Russia, girls reported a greater number of mental health problems, less bullying victimisation and much higher body dissatisfaction than boys did. Japanese adolescents rated themselves higher on total difficulties, reported less body dissatisfaction and bullying victimisation, and rated their school safety lower than that of Russian youths. Cross-cultural differences in total difficulties and body image were qualified by gender. Body dissatisfaction, bullying victimisation and school safety all independently contributed to adolescent mental health problems. The protective effect of school safety on total difficulties was larger for girls than for boys; the strength of the association between bullying victimisation and adolescent mental health problems differed across genders and cultures. The findings indicate a need for a cross-cultural approach and provide a strong basis for targeted interventions that seek to improve adolescent mental health.     

2010~2020中国内地初中生心理健康问题检出率的元分析

初中生心理健康问题的检出率在诸多研究中存在很大分歧, 未能为心理健康政策制定和服务体系建设提供充分依据。为明确心理健康问题的整体检出率并澄清其影响因素, 对2010~2020年检索到的文献进行了元分析。结果发现, 初中生面临不同程度的心理健康问题, 其中焦虑、抑郁和自我伤害检出率排在前三位; 初中生心理健康问题随年代发展呈恶化趋势, 其中焦虑和自杀企图尤为明显; 初中生心理健康问题检出率饱受测量工具、检出标准和检出时间不统一的影响; 初中生心理健康问题检出率整体上随年级而增加, 其中焦虑尤为明显; 女生的心理健康问题检出率高于男生, 自杀尤为明显; 中西部地区的初中生比东北和东部地区更容易出现心理健康问题, 尤其是焦虑和自我伤害。未来应立足中国大地研制科学的测量工具和筛查标准并建立心理健康动态监测体系和学校心理健康服务体系。     

Internalizing problems of adolescents: The role of the informant in identifying family and individual difficulties

The purpose of this study was to examine the family environment and school functioning of adolescents who differed on level of internalizing problems as reported by the adolescent and her/his mother. Thirty-six adolescents, their mothers, and their social studies teacher served as participants. Three groups were formed based on the report of level of internalizing problems: high mother and adolescent report (high concordant); low mother/high adolescent report (discordant); and low mother/low adolescent report (low concordant). The results indicated that the high concordant group, but not the discordant group, differed significantly from the low discordant group in that adolescents from the former group were from home environments with more difficulties (more interparental conflict, maternal depression, & maternal anxiety) and had more internalizing problems and lower grades in school. The results point to the importance of parent-report data when clinically assessing adolescents or conducting research on internalizing problems of adolescents.     

Relationship Between Religiosity and Conduct Problems Among African American and Caucasian Adolescents

This study investigated the relationship between religiosity and conduct problems in a racially diverse sample of high school aged adolescents (ages 13–19) who attended public schools in a large metropolitan area. The results of the study found racial and gender differences in religiosity: African American adolescents were more likely to attend church, describe themselves as very religious and use Collaborative and Deferring religious coping styles; they were less likely to use Self-Directing religious coping styles when compared to Caucasian adolescents. Females were more likely to be involved in church activities, use a Collaborative religious coping style and tended to be less likely to use a Self-Directing religious coping style when compared to males. The results of multiple regression analyses, after controlling for race, gender, and self-reported religiousness found that Self-Directing and Deferring religious coping styles were risk factors for conduct problems; there was no relationship between Collaborative religious coping and conduct problems. The findings from the study provide additional support for the importance of considering religiosity, race and gender when examining mental health outcomes in adolescents and have implications for the development of mental health interventions for adolescents.     

Well-being and Need for Support of Adolescents with a Chronically Ill Family Member

This study investigates whether there are differences in the well-being, need for help and use of support services between adolescents with and without a chronically ill or disabled family member. It also examines the role played by the type of illness, the relationship to the family member and the nature and intensity of the help provided by the adolescent. A Dutch sample of 1581 adolescents (average age 14.6?years) completed a questionnaire in 2010 about mental health problems, pro-social behavior, need for and use of support and the illness of family members and any care tasks performed by the respondent. Young people with a sick family member had more mental health problems than their counterparts without a chronically ill family member. They also reported a greater need for and use of help and support. Performing domestic tasks was found to be a predictor for overall mental health problems. The intensity of the help given was related to the need for help by the adolescent. It is concluded that growing up with a chronically ill family member and spending a lot time performing (domestic) tasks are risk factors for adolescent mental health problems and adolescents’ need for help. Special attention is warranted for those who need support but who do not translate that need into reality by seeking help.     

Short- and Long-Term Effects of Inpatient Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Adolescents With Anxious-Depressed School Absenteeism: A Within-Subject Comparison of Changes

The effects of inpatient treatment, including manual-guided cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT), were examined for 36 adolescents (12–18 years) with chronic school absenteeism and mental health problems. Using a within-subject control group design, no changes were noted during the untreated waiting period, whereas there was a strong, statistically significant reduction in school absence rates and mental health problems from the start to the end of inpatient treatment. At discharge, 88.9% of adolescents attended school regularly or were employed (86.1 and 63.9% at 2- and 9-months follow-up, respectively). Self- and parent-reported mental health problems were significantly reduced during treatment and remained stable during follow-up.     

Are Written Reports of Suicide and Seeking Help Contagious? High Schoolers' Perceptions1

To assess contagion for suicide and seeking mental health help, 128 high school students read a short vignette about a teen under stress. Half of them were told that this teen knew someone in the community who had similar problems and had committed suicide, and half were told that the teen knew someone in the community who had similar problems and had sought help from a mental health professional. A 2 (Gender of Respondent) × 2 (Gender of Victim) × 2 (Vignette: Response to Stress) analysis of variance indicated a significant main effect for response, and a significant two-way interaction for gender of respondent and response to stress. These high school students thought contagion occurred for suicide as well as seeking mental health help. Girls tended to be more responsive to seeking help, whereas boys were slightly more responsive to suicide. An implication is that publicity about seeking help may ameliorate suicidal contagion.     

高中生强迫思考与抑郁状态：压力知觉的中介作用及不反应的调节作用

青少年时期是抑郁的高发时期,也是抑郁预防的重要时间窗口。为探讨强迫思考倾向和抑郁状态的关系及其作用机制,采用问卷法对501名高中生进行调查。结果发现：（1）高中生强迫思考倾向完全通过压力知觉正向预测抑郁状态;（2）不反应在强迫思考倾向与压力知觉之间起调节作用,当不反应水平较高时,强迫思考倾向通过压力知觉预测抑郁状态的作用较弱。研究结果有助于揭示强迫思考倾向对高中生抑郁状态的影响及作用机制,对积极预防高中生抑郁具有一定的启示。     

2010~2020中国内地高中生心理健康问题检出率的元分析

我国高中生心理健康问题的检出率亟需关注, 许多研究对此进行了探究, 但结果并不一致。为明确近10年来我国高中生心理健康问题的检出状况及其影响因素, 对检索后获得的252项研究进行了元分析。结果发现: 检出率由高到低依次是抑郁(28.0%)、焦虑(26.3%)、睡眠问题(23.0%)、自我伤害(22.8%)、自杀意念(17.1%)、躯体化(9.8%)、自杀计划(6.9%)、自杀企图(未遂) (2.9%)。我国高中生心理健康问题检出率受出版年代、测量工具、检出标准、检出时间、年级和区域影响。未来应着力编制标准化测评工具、构建心理健康教育长效机制并对高年级、欠发达地区高中生的心理健康问题予以重点关注。     

The Relation Between Parental Mental Illness and Adolescent Mental Health: The Role of Family Factors

Children of parents with a mental illness are often found to be at high risk of developing psychological problems themselves. Little is known about the role of family factors in the relation between parental and adolescent mental health. The current study focused on parent–child interaction and family environment. This cross-sectional questionnaire study included 124 families with a mentally ill parent and 127 families without a mentally ill parent who at the time of the study had children aged 11–16 years old. Parents completed questionnaires about their mental health, parent–child interaction (i.e., parental monitoring and parental support), and family environment (i.e., cohesion, expressiveness, and conflict). Adolescents reported their internalizing and externalizing problems. Path analyses were used to examine the direct associations between parental mental illness and adolescent problems as well as the indirect relations via parent–child interaction and family environment. The results showed that interaction between parents with a mental illness and their child was significantly worse compared to parents without a mental illness. The family environment of parents with mental illness was also more negative. Mentally ill parents monitored their adolescents less, which in turn related to more externalizing problems of the adolescents. No factors mediated the relation between parental mental health and adolescent internalizing problems. Moreover, no direct effects of parental support, family cohesion, and family expressiveness with externalizing problems were found. These findings imply that parental monitoring should get a specific focus of attention in existing interventions designed to prevent adolescents with a mentally ill parent from developing problems.     

The role of executive functions in bilingual children with reading difficulties

To explore the joint effect of reading difficulties (RD) and bilingualism on executive functions, 190 children of four groups of 9–12 year‐olds (41 bilinguals with RD, 45 monolinguals with RD, 45 bilinguals without RD, and 59 monolinguals without RD) were examined on the Concentration game, Tower of Hanoi, and Stroop as measures of executive functioning tapping into inhibitory/attentional control, working memory and planning ability. The most prominent finding was that in terms of RD, the speed of performances decreased dramatically. This general decrease was more pronounced for bilingual children with RD than for their monolingual counterparts. In conclusion, the findings suggest that while bilinguals gain more from executive functions in normal reading, they lose in terms of RD. Such an outcome confirms that executive functions are essential components of both reading and bilingualism, which depending on whether reading conditions are normal or difficult will produce cognitive advantages or disadvantages. Further, it is argued that dissimilarity between the Farsi and Swedish languages may complicate handling of such a situation.     

The Relationship Between Family Stress and Behavioral Health Among African American Adolescents

African American youth, especially those who live in low-income communities, are at increased risk for experiencing higher juvenile justice involvement, poorer mental health, low school engagement, higher illicit drug use, and STIs, relative to their higher income peers and those from other ethnic backgrounds. However, few studies have examined the relationship between family stressors and these multiple youth concerns. This study examines the relationship between family stress (i.e., having an adult in the home with a history of mental illness, substance use, and incarceration) and youth concerns such as substance use, mental health challenges, low school engagement, juvenile justice involvement, and STI risk behaviors. A total of 638 African American adolescents living in predominantly low-income, urban communities participated in the study by completing self-report measures on the above constructs. Logistic regressions controlling for age, gender, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation indicated that adolescents who reported higher rates of family stress were significantly more likely to report mental health problems, delinquent behaviors, juvenile justice involvement, drug use, risky sex, and lower school engagement factors. Findings suggest that attending to the developmental concerns of youth also requires addressing the needs of the family unit.     

Same-sex attraction, social relationships, psychosocial functioning, and school performance in early adolescence

The authors examined whether 13- to 15-year-old adolescents who experience feelings of same-sex attraction (SSA) differ from those without such feelings in the quality of relationships with parents, peers, and class mentors and in psychosocial functioning (health status and school performance). The authors also assessed whether differences in psychosocial functioning resulted from differences in the quality of social relationships. Data were collected from 866 Dutch high school students (mean age 13.61 years) by means of a computer-based questionnaire. Of the participants, 74 (8.5%) reported having feelings of SSA. The participants with SSA rated the quality of their relationships with their fathers and their peers lower than did those without SSA. Participants with SSA also had poorer mental health (higher levels of depression and lower levels of self-esteem) and lower school performance. A mediation analysis revealed that differences in psychosocial functioning resulted from differences in the quality of the same-sex attracted youths' social relationships, especially with fathers and peers.     

Mental health, life stress and social support among young Norwegian adolescents with immigrant and host national background

The first aim of the study was to investigate differences in level of mental health, life stress and social support among adolescents with immigrant and domestic background. A second aim was to identify culture group and gender specific sources of risk and protective factors and their relation to mental health. Questionnaire data were collected from 633 students, aged 13, in Oslo, Norway. Immigrant adolescents reported higher level of psychological distress and lower social support than host students. Of the four gender-culture groups, immigrant boys reported the highest level of problems, with a 28% prevalence of anxiety/depression. There were no significant differences in prevalence among the girls. Specific patterns of relationships between life stress, support, and mental health were found across gender and culture. The results were discussed within a framework of culture differences in values and gender role expectancies, underscoring the importance of studying each gender/culture group separately.     

The mental health of children of migrant workers in Beijing: The protective role of public school attendance

The present study aims to understand the mental health status of an understudied group of migrant children – children of migrant workers in China. A total of 1,466 children from Beijing participated in the study that compared migrant children (n = 1,019) to their local peers (n = 447) in public and private school settings. Results showed that overall, migrant children reported more internalizing and externalizing mental health problems and lower life satisfaction than local peers. However, public school attendance served as a protective factor for migrant children's mental health. The mental health status of migrant children attending public schools, including externalizing problems as well as friend and school satisfaction, was not different from local children. In addition, our data indicates that the protective effect of public school attendance for migrant children may be even more salient among girls than boys, and for younger children than older children.     

青少年学校满意度发展特点及其对学校归属感的预测

采用问卷法对1093名青少年进行调查,考察了青少年学校满意度的特点及学校满意度对学校归属感的预测。结果发现:1)青少年在学校满意度六个维度的均值排列顺序由高到低依次为:同学关系、师生关系、教学、学校管理、成就、课业学习。2)不同性别、年级、学习成绩的青少年在学校满意度各维度上的满意情况不同。3)青少年学校满意度和学校归属感紧密相关。年级、学习成绩、学校满意度均对学校归属感具有显著预测作用。     

青少年的学校适应问题：家庭亲密度、家庭道德情绪和责任感的作用

随机选取某市三所普通中小学四、六、八、十年级的755名青少年为被试,使用自评和他评问卷探讨家庭亲密度、家庭道德情绪和责任感与青少年学校适应之间的关系。结果显示：（1）青少年家庭亲密度、责任感与学校适应问题存在性别差异,女生家庭亲密度和责任感高于男生,外化和学业问题少于男生;家庭亲密度、道德情绪和责任感随年龄增长呈下降趋势;（2）家庭亲密度正向预测道德情绪和责任感,直接和间接负向预测青少年学校适应问题。（3）责任感负向预测学校适应问题,并在家庭亲密度和学校适应问题之间起部分中介作用;结构方程模型各指标的拟合效果较好。家庭亲密度、责任感是学校适应问题的良好预测指标。     

Factors associated with the mental health of adolescents when a parent has cancer

This study explored factors associated with the mental health in adolescents (ages 11-17; n = 54) within 12 months after a parent had been diagnosed with cancer. A control group was included (ages 11-17; n = 49). A demographic questionnaire, the SF-8 Health Survey, the Youth Self Report and the McMaster Family Assessment Device were used. Similar levels of psychological distress and healthy family functioning were reported in the clinical and the control group. No effect of gender of the ill parent and that of the adolescent was found. A negative correlation was found between the physical health of the ill parent and the mental health of the adolescent. Healthy family functioning correlated with less psychological distress in adolescents with a parent with cancer. Open communication, flexible problem solving and appropriate affective involvement were significant predictors for less psychological distress in the adolescents. The study concludes that a healthy family functioning facilitated the adolescent's adjustment to parental cancer.     

Parental Migration and Rural Left-Behind Children’s Mental Health in China: A Meta-Analysis Based on Mental Health Test

Parental migration has been an important predictor of left-behind children’s developmental outcomes. Based on the ecological model of rural left-behind children’s development, we systematically reviewed studies related to rural left-behind children’s mental health in China and investigated left-behind children’s mental health and its influencing factors. Thirty-two studies involving 28,629 participants met the inclusion criteria were included in our meta-analysis to compare mental health of left-behind children and non-left-behind children. Twenty-two studies involving 8,634 participants were included in gender difference meta-analysis. The results indicated that left-behind children report more mental health problems than non-left-behind children, left-behind girls were confronted with higher level of mental health problems than left-behind boys, left-behind children in primary school and junior high school reported more mental health problems than those in senior high school, and self-guardian children have more serious mental health problems than children guarded by grandparents, former generation, and single parent. Implications for future practice were analyzed from family, school, and government perspectives.     

学校资源与早期青少年心理社会适应的关系：一项潜在转变分析

以1012名初一学生为被试进行3年的追踪研究, 采用潜在剖面分析与潜在转变分析考察了早期青少年心理社会适应的亚组分化与转变情况, 以及学校资源与性别在青少年发展适应中的作用。结果发现：(1)初一时青少年的心理社会适应分化成2个亚组：适应良好组与内化问题组, 初二与初三时青少年分化成4个适应亚组：适应良好组、内化问题组、外化问题组和同伴拒绝组; (2)从初二到初三, 适应良好组和内化问题组的青少年保持了较高的稳定性, 同伴拒绝组和外化问题组的青少年向适应良好组转变的概率最高; (3)拥有更多学校资源的青少年更可能处于或保留在适应良好组, 同时在初二时拥有更多学校资源的外化问题组和同伴拒绝组的青少年在初三时更可能向适应良好组转变; (4)初二时女生更大概率地进入内化问题组。研究结果有助于深化对早期青少年心理社会适应发展模式多样性的理解, 并提示教育人员有必要对青少年适应状况进行全面筛查和动态监测, 以便针对适应亚组和性别特点制定更为复杂的预防和干预方案。