scholarly journals Association between positive mental health and family background among young people in Finland

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
K Appelqvist-Schmidlechner ◽  
N Tamminen ◽  
P Solin

Abstract Background Positive mental health (PMH) is an important construct for understanding the full continuum of mental health. The aim of this study was to examine the association of family background with the level of PMH among adolescents and young adults in Finland. Methods Data from population-based Finnish School Health Promotion Study targeted at year 8. and 9. students of comprehensive school and year 1. and 2. students of upper secondary school and vocational schools was used (n = 134684) for the study. PMH was measured with short Warwick-Edinburgh-Mental-Wellbeing-Scale (SWEMWBS) and examined on a continuum from languishing (low level of positive mental health) to moderate to flourishing mental health (high level of positive mental health). Associations between flourishing/languishing mental health and family background variables were analysed with logistic regression analysis, school level and gender were adjusted. Results Flourishing mental health was associated with intact family background, higher education of parents and better financial situation of family. In contrast, languishing was associated with non-intact family conditions (single parent family, parents divorced, stepfamily) and parents’ unemployment, lower level of education and financial problems. Conclusions Family structure and socioeconomic status of parents have an impact on PMH of young people. Young people with non-intact family structure and/or poorer socioeconomic status may lack positive sense of well-being, in other words they have challenges to enjoy their life, to believe in their own abilities, to cope with normal stresses of life, to study productively and to enjoy interacting with others. Targeted interventions and promotive actions should be directed for young people with challenging family conditions in particular. Key messages Investigating positive mental health (PMH) is essential for understanding the full continuum of mental health. Family structure and parents’ socioeconomic status have an impact on PMH of young people.

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Haavanlammi ◽  
K Appelqvist-Schmidlechner ◽  
M Kekkonen ◽  
A Ruiz-Ariza ◽  
S Fröjd

Abstract The benefits of participation in organized sports on mental well-being of young people are well-known. However, there is lacking evidence on the relationship between participation in organized sports and positive mental health among socially vulnerable young people. Also, little is known about the mechanisms of sports-based programmes that may promote positive mental health among socially vulnerable young people. The aim of this PhD study is to investigate the association between participation in organized sports and positive mental health among socially vulnerable children (7-12 years) and adolescents (13-15 years) using multiple methods and several databases. I will present the study protocol of a PhD study focusing on use of sports participation as a tool for mental health promotion. Article 1 will be a systematic literature review and the data will be gathered from multiple databases. Article 2 is based on the School Health Promotion Study carried out in 2017 (ages 14-15; n = 73 680). Article 3 is based on Icehearts longitudinal study (n = 46 children participating Icehearts programme and n = 180 controls) and article 4 is based on observations (n = 5 Icehearts teams including 50 children and 5 coaches) and interviews (25 Iceheartś children and their 50 parents). Preliminary findings of the systematic literature review indicate that there is a lack of evidence how to promote mental well-being through sports participation among socially vulnerable young people. The study will provide valuable knowledge which can be utilized to prevent mental health problems and to promote positive mental health. This knowledge can be used both in municipal and political decision-making, and in developing targeted, sport-based interventions for socially vulnerable children and adolescents in order to reduce health inequalities. Key messages Observational data on interventions including perspectives of children is rare but crucial to develop effective programmes for promoting positive mental health among socially vulnerable youth. Knowledge obtained from this study can be used to develop targeted, sport-based interventions for socially vulnerable children and adolescents in order to reduce health inequalities.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. e033317
Author(s):  
Rachel M Hiller ◽  
Sarah L Halligan ◽  
Richard Meiser-Stedman ◽  
Elizabeth Elliott ◽  
Emily Rutter-Eley

ObjectivesYoung people who have been removed from their family home and placed in care have often experienced maltreatment and there is well-developed evidence of poor psychological outcomes. Once in care, foster carers often become the adult who provides day-to-day support, yet we know little about how they provide this support or the challenges to and facilitators of promoting better quality carer–child relationships. The aim of this study was to understand how carers support the emotional needs of the young people in their care and their views on barriers and opportunities for support.Design and participantsParticipants were 21 UK foster carers, recruited from a local authority in England. They were predominantly female (86%), aged 42–65 years old and ranged from those who were relatively new to the profession (<12 months’ experience) to those with over 30 years of experience as a carer. We ran three qualitative focus groups to gather in-depth information about their views on supporting their foster children’s emotional well-being. Participants also completed short questionnaires about their training experiences and sense of competence.ResultsOnly half of the sample strongly endorsed feeling competent in managing the emotional needs of their foster children. While all had completed extensive training, especially on attachment, diagnosis-specific training for mental health problems (eg, trauma-related distress, depression) was less common. Thematic analysis showed consistent themes around the significant barriers carers faced navigating social care and mental health systems, and mixed views around the best way to support young people, particularly those with complex mental health needs and in relation to reminders of their early experiences.ConclusionsFindings have important implications for practice and policy around carer training and support, as well as for how services support the mental health needs of young people in care.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Darren Sharpe ◽  
Mohsen Rajabi ◽  
Clement Chileshe ◽  
Sitali Mayamba Joseph ◽  
Ibrahim Sesay ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantining on children and young people (CYP) living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has yet to be fully comprehended. CYP in LMICs are at utmost risk, given the COVID-19-related restrictions and social distancing measures, resulting in reduced access to school-based services for nutritional and mental health needs. This study examined mental health of CYP during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Zambia and Sierra Leone. Method A total of 468 disabled and disadvantaged CYP aged 12 to 25 completed a planning tool that comprised the short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS), as well as open-ended questions covering social connectedness, physical distancing and educational challenges during the lockdown. The community coaches screened individuals and families who could be eligible to receive emergency aid, and based on a convenience sample following distribution of aid, recipients were invited to complete the planning tool. Results The data showed that participants in the global south have increasing anxieties and fears centred on accessing offline educational resources and income loss in the family effecting food security and their ability to return to education. Mean (SD) SWEMWBS scores for all participants in Zambia and Sierra Leone, were 19.61 (3.45) and 21.65 (2.84), respectively. Mental well-being scores were lower in females, children aged 12–14 and participants with two or more disabilities. Factors significantly associated with poor mental wellbeing in the sample were: type of disability, nationality, peer relationships, connection to others during the pandemic, knowledge about COVID-19, worry about the long-term impact of COVID-19, and the types of self-isolating. Conclusion The study shows that participants who self-reported low levels of COVID-19 health literacy also scored low on the mental wellbeing self-assessment. Yet, despite undoubted limited resources, these CYP are doing well in identifying their needs and maintaining hope in the face of the problems associated with COVID-19 in countries where stigma persists around mental ill-health.


2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 314-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annmarie Grealish ◽  
Sara Tai ◽  
Andrew Hunter ◽  
Richard Emsley ◽  
Trevor Murrells ◽  
...  

2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (10) ◽  
pp. 1795-1795
Author(s):  
Janhavi Ajit Vaingankar ◽  
Mythily Subramaniam ◽  
Yee Wei Lim ◽  
Cathy Sherbourne ◽  
Nan Luo ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Laura Harris-Lane ◽  
Jacqueline Hesson ◽  
Ken Fowler ◽  
Nicholas Harris

Positive mental health in youth has important implications for overall well-being. This study examined the extent to which different types of social support are associated with positive mental health among individuals, ages 15–24, diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Compared to respondents without a diagnosis of ADHD, those with a diagnosis had significantly lower scores on measures of positive mental health and on four of five types of social support. Among the five types of social support, social integration and reassurance of worth were found to be significant predictors of positive mental health in respondents diagnosed with ADHD.


Author(s):  
Courtney C. Walton ◽  
Serena Carberry ◽  
Michael Wilson ◽  
Rosemary Purcell ◽  
Lisa Olive ◽  
...  

The mental health of young people is of increasing concern, and early intervention prevention strategies are required. Youth sports are potentially effective environments within which to situate interventions due to high participation rates, familiarity to young participants, and the typically positive relationships held with adults within such spaces. However, coaches identify that they require more knowledge to better respond to mental health concerns that may be present among players. Here, we describe a research translation process in which an open-access, evidence-informed resource was developed to support coaches and sports clubs to better respond to athletes in need as well as to create environments that may protect against mental ill-health and promote well-being. The resource includes a toolkit—with an associated checklist—for recreational sport clubs to follow, a guide to responding to young people in need, and a short educational video. We suggest that these practical and applied resources, which can be immediately implemented, may assist in the provision of targeted and structured guidance for coaches’ first response intervention with vulnerable young people. Furthermore, these resources can support future efforts by being specifically tailored for the unique locations and cultures that vary among youth sport environments.


Author(s):  
Karolina Baras ◽  
Luísa Soares ◽  
Carla Vale Lucas ◽  
Filipa Oliveira ◽  
Norberto Pinto Paulo ◽  
...  

Smartphones have become devices of choice for running studies on health and well-being, especially among young people. When entering college, students often face many challenges, such as adaptation to new situations, establish new interpersonal relationships, heavier workload and shorter deadlines, teamwork assignments and others. In this paper, the results of four studies examining students' well-being and mental health as well as student's perception of challenges and obstacles they face during their academic journey are presented. In addition, a mobile application that acts as a complement to a successful tutoring project implemented at the authors' University is proposed. The application allows students to keep their schedules and deadlines in one place while incorporating virtual tutor features. By using both, the events from the student's calendar and his or her mood indicators, the application sends notifications accordingly. These notifications encompass motivational phrases, time management guidelines, as well as relaxation tips.


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