scholarly journals Brief Report: Predictors of Adolescent Mental Health and Wellbeing During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mina Murat Baldwin ◽  
Chloe Fawns-Ritchie ◽  
Drew Altschul ◽  
Archie Campbell ◽  
David Porteous ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
School Attendance ◽  
Perceived Support ◽  
Female Adolescents ◽  
School Students ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Modelling Framework ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
Linear Regressions

Purpose: This study explored predictors of COVID-19-related stress and wellbeing of Scottish adolescents during the COVID-19 lockdown to identify potentially malleable risk and protective factors.Methods: 5,548 participants were surveyed regarding stress, loneliness, wellbeing, schoolwork, support from school, and interaction with friends and family. Multiple linear regressions within a structural equation modelling framework were fit to predict COVID-19-related stress and wellbeing during the UK’s first lockdown.Results: Loneliness, variables related to the ability to continue with schoolwork, and perceived support from school were important predictors of greater COVID-19-related stress and wellbeing during the first lockdown. Female adolescents were also more likely to show higher stress and poorer wellbeing.Conclusions: Facilitating meaningful social interaction and ensuring the ability to continue with schoolwork, and providing social support from school should be priority strategies to help protect the mental health and wellbeing of secondary school students during lockdowns and other disruptions to school attendance.

scholarly journals Impact of mental disorders on attendance at school

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Lawrence ◽  
Vaille Dawson ◽  
Stephen Houghton ◽  
Ben Goodsell ◽  
Michael G Sawyer
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
School Attendance ◽  
School Students ◽  
Australian Child ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Intervention Treatment ◽  
Using Data

Mental disorders are among the most common and disabling conditions affecting children and adolescents. Patterns of school attendance among students with and without mental disorders were examined using data from the 2013–2014 Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. One in seven school students had a mental disorder in the previous 12 months, with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and anxiety being the most common. Students with a mental disorder had lower school attendance – being absent for 11.8 days per year in Years 1–6, 23.1 days per year in Years 7–10 and 25.8 days per year in Years 11–12, on average. In comparison, students without mental disorders were absent an average of 8.3 days (Years 1–6), 10.6 days (Years 7–10) and 12.0 days (Years 11–12) per year. Among students with a mental disorder, absences due to the disorder accounted for 13.4% of all days absent from school. This increased across years in school from 8.9% in Years 1–6 to 16.6% in Years 11–12. Improving prevention, early intervention, treatment and management of mental disorders may lead to significant improvements in school attendance.

scholarly journals Determinants of school attendance in elementary school students in Japan: a structural equation model

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiromi Nakamura-Thomas ◽  
Nobuyuki Sano ◽  
Donald Maciver
Keyword(s):  
Latent Variables ◽  
Latent Variable ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
School Attendance ◽  
Subjective Health ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Positive Perception ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
School Students

Abstract Background Managing school nonattendance is a priority worldwide. Frequent school nonattendance in early school years has immediate and long-term negative effects. Although strategies to address nonattendance are being developed and implemented, the number of students with school nonattendance issues is increasing. In this study, we explored students’ feelings and perceptions about attending school and the potential determinants of a positive attitude towards attending school. Methods We hypothesized that a positive perception towards attending school was influenced by relationships, perceptions of current circumstances, subjective health, and having someone to share experiences and thoughts with. For examining the hypothesized model, an original questionnaire with 14 items was developed, including perceptions towards school attendance (an item), relationships with friends and school teachers (5 items), current circumstances (4 items), subjective health (3 items), and the individuals available to share experiences and thoughts with (1 item). In total, 6860 children submitted the questionnaire (85.3% response rate) and 6841 responses were included to examine the model. Children were 10 or 11 years old, and selected from 111 state-run schools in 8 randomly selected school districts. Results The final model demonstrated good fit and showed that the latent variable of relationships with friends and school teachers directly impacted on how children felt about attending school. The latent variable of subjective health also directly impacted on how children felt about attending school but not strongly. Other latent variables were not significant. Conclusions The importance of positive relationships with friends and teachers in overcoming school nonattendance has been emphasized in previous studies. This study has provided evidence that these relationships impacted children’s positive perception about attending school in a large sample of students aged 10–11 years. The latent variable of subjective health may require more items to capture mental health.

scholarly journals Risk and Resilience Factors During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Snapshot of the Experiences of Canadian Workers Early on in the Crisis

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Coulombe ◽  
Tyler Pacheco ◽  
Emily Cox ◽  
Christine Khalil ◽  
Marina M. Doucerain ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Potential Risk ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Structural Equation Models ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Risk And Resilience ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Resilience Factors

Research highlights several risk and resilience factors at multiple ecological levels that influence individuals’ mental health and wellbeing in their everyday lives and, more specifically, in disaster or outbreak situations. However, there is limited research on the role of these factors in the early days of the COVID-19 crisis. The present study examined if and how potential risk factors (i.e., reduction in income, job insecurity, feelings of vulnerability to contracting the virus, lack of confidence in avoiding COVID-19, compliance with preventative policies) and resilience factors (i.e., trait resilience, family functioning, social support, social participation, and trust in healthcare institutions) are associated with mental health and well-being outcomes, and whether these resilience factors buffer (i.e., moderate) the associations between risk factors and said outcomes. One to two weeks after the government recommended preventative measures, 1,122 Canadian workers completed an online questionnaire, including multiple wellbeing outcome scales in addition to measures of potential risk and resilience factors. Structural equation models were tested, highlighting that overall, the considered risk factors were associated with poorer wellbeing outcomes, except social distancing which was associated with lower levels of stress. Each of the potential resilience factors was found to have a main effect on one or more of the wellbeing outcomes. Moderation analysis indicated that in general these resilience factors did not, however, buffer the risk factors. The findings confirm that the COVID-19 crisis encompasses several stressors related to the virus as well as to its impact on one’s social, occupational, and financial situation, which put people at risk for lower wellbeing as early as one to two weeks after the crisis began. While several resilience factors emerged as positively related to wellbeing, such factors may not be enough, or sufficiently activated at that time, to buffer the effects of the numerous life changes required by COVID-19. From an ecological perspective, while mental health professionals and public health decision-makers should offer/design services directly focused on mental health and wellbeing, it is important they go beyond celebrating individuals’ inner potential for resilience, and also support individuals in activating their environmental resources during a pandemic.

scholarly journals Ecologies of Resilience for Australian High School Students from Refugee Backgrounds: Quantitative Study

2022 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 748
Author(s):  
Emily Miller ◽  
Tahereh Ziaian ◽  
Helena de Anstiss ◽  
Melanie Baak
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Sense Of Belonging ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
School Students ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Increased Risk

Forced displacement of refugees, currently at record levels, leads to increased cultural diversity in many countries with benefits and challenges for individuals, communities, and societies. Refugees often face significant stressors both pre- and post-migration, and hence are at increased risk of poor mental health and wellbeing. Children and adolescents make up a significant proportion of refugees globally, and hence mental health supports for these young people are crucial. Current mental health research often uses pathologized approaches that focus on trauma, although there is growing literature highlighting the importance of a sense of belonging and the reduction in discrimination and social exclusion, emphasizing strengths and agency of individuals and communities. Resilience is often noted for its positive influence on mental health and wellbeing; however, research regarding how mechanisms of resilience function is still developing. This study investigated mental health and wellbeing of refugee-background Australian youth to better understand the role and function of resilience. Findings suggest that intersecting social ecologies, such as those within family, school, or community networks, contribute to development of identity and a sense of belonging for youth, which together form a resilient system that provides resources for wellbeing. Adaptations of school policy and practice can support positive mental health and wellbeing outcomes by contributing to and developing resilient environments, such as through building connections to family, improving positive recognition of cultural identity for individuals and across the whole school community, and actively working to minimize discrimination.

scholarly journals Influence of Context and Setting on the Mental Health and Wellbeing Outcomes of Ayahuasca Drinkers: Results of a Large International Survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Perkins ◽  
Violeta Schubert ◽  
Hana Simonová ◽  
Luís Fernando Tófoli ◽  
José Carlos Bouso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Intermediate Outcomes ◽  
Psychological Distress Scale ◽  
Distress Scale

Ayahuasca is a traditional plant decoction containing N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and various β-carbolines including harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine, which has been used ceremonially by Amazonian Indigenous groups for healing and spiritual purposes. Use of the brew has now spread far beyond its original context of consumption to North America, Europe, and Australia in neo-shamanic settings as well as Christian syncretic churches. While these groups have established their own rituals and protocols to guide use, it remains unknown the extent to which the use of traditional or non-traditional practices may affect drinkers’ acute experiences, and longer term wellbeing and mental health outcomes. Hence, this study aimed to provide the first detailed assessment of associations between ceremony/ritual characteristics, additional support practices, motivations for drinking, and mental health and wellbeing outcomes. The paper uses data from a large cross-sectional study of ayahuasca drinkers in more than 40 countries who had used ayahuasca in various contexts (n = 6,877). It captured detailed information about participant demographics, patterns and history of ayahuasca drinking, the setting of consumption, and ritualistic practices employed. Current mental health status was captured via the Kessler 10 psychological distress scale and the mental health component score of the SF-12 Health Questionnaire, while reported change in prior clinically diagnosed anxiety or depression (n = 1276) was evaluated using a (PGIC) Patient Global Impression of Change tool. Various intermediate outcomes were also assessed including perceived change in psychological wellbeing, number of personal self-insights attained, and subjective spiritual experience measured via the spirituality dimension of the Persisting Effects Questionnaire (PEQ) and Short Index of Mystical Orientation. Regression models identified a range of significant associations between set and setting variables, and intermediate and final mental health and wellbeing outcomes. A generalized structural equation model (GSEM) was then used to verify relationships and associations between endogenous, mediating and final outcome variables concurrently. The present study sheds new light on the influence of ceremonial practices, additional supports and motivations on the therapeutic effects of ayahuasca for mental health and wellbeing, and ways in which such factors can be optimized in naturalistic settings and clinical studies.

Childhood determinants of suicidality: comparing males in military and civilian employed populations

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (14) ◽  
pp. 2421-2431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Syed Sheriff ◽  
Miranda Van Hooff ◽  
Gin Malhi ◽  
Blair Grace ◽  
Alexander McFarlane
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Childhood Anxiety ◽  
Military Population ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Australian Defence Force ◽  
Independent Association ◽  
Australian Bureau Of Statistics ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractBackgroundTo better understand the associations of childhood trauma and childhood disorder with past-year suicidality (thoughts, plans or attempts), we compared male military and civilian populations aged 18–60 years old.MethodsData derived from the 2010 Australian Defence Force (ADF) Mental Health Prevalence and Wellbeing Study and the 2007 Australian Bureau of Statistics Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing were compared using logistic regression and Generalized Structural Equation Modelling (GSEM).ResultsA greater proportion of the ADF experienced suicidality than civilians. Those who experienced childhood trauma that was not interpersonal in nature were not at increased odds of suicidality, in either population. A higher proportion of the ADF experienced three or more types of trauma in childhood and first experienced three or more types of trauma in adulthood. Both were associated with suicidality in the ADF and civilians. Childhood anxiety had a strong and independent association with suicidality in the ADF (controlling for demographics and childhood trauma, adult trauma and adult onset disorder). Childhood anxiety fully mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and suicidality in the ADF, but not in civilians.ConclusionsThese data highlight the need to take a whole life approach to understanding suicidality, and the importance of categorizing the nature of childhood trauma exposure. Importantly, childhood anxiety was not only associated with suicidality, it fully mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and suicidality in the more trauma exposed (military) population only. These findings have the potential to inform the development of strategies for suicide prevention.

Risk Factors and Mediators of Suicidal Ideation Among Korean Adolescents

Crisis ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Jin Kim ◽  
Sung Seek Moon ◽  
Jang Hyun Lee ◽  
Joon Kyung Kim
Keyword(s):  
High School Students ◽  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Outcome Variable ◽  
Suicidal Behaviors ◽  
Thwarted Belongingness ◽  
Perceived Burdensomeness ◽  
Korean Adolescents ◽  
Related Stress

Abstract. Background: A significant number of Korean adolescents have suicidal ideations and it is more prevalent among adolescents than any other age group in Korea. Aims: This study was conducted to attain a better understanding of the contributing factors to suicidal ideation among Korean adolescents. Method: We recruited 569 high school students in Grades 10 and 11 in Pyeongtaek, Korea. The Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation was used to measure suicidal ideation as the outcome variable. The Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, the School Related Stress Scale, the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire, and the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance questions were used to measure thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness, hopelessness, school-related stress, bullying, and previous suicidal behaviors, respectively. Data analyses included descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling. Results: The findings suggest that perceived burdensomeness, hopelessness, school-related stress, and previous suicidal behaviors have significant direct effects on suicidal ideation. Hopelessness fully mediated the relation between thwarted belongingness and suicidal ideation, and partially mediated between perceived burdensomeness, school-related stress, and suicidal ideation. Conclusion: These findings provide more specific directions for a multidimensional suicide prevention program in order to be successful in reducing suicide rates among Korean adolescents.

The Schoolwork Engagement Inventory

2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katariina Salmela-Aro ◽  
Katja Upadaya
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Concurrent Validity ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Older Students ◽  
School Students ◽  
Factor Solution ◽  
Upper Secondary

This study introduces the Schoolwork Engagement Inventory (EDA), which measures energy, dedication, and absorption with respect to schoolwork. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the validity and reliability of the inventory among students attending postcomprehensive schools. A total of 1,530 (769 girls, 761 boys) students from 13 institutions (six upper-secondary and seven vocational schools) completed the EDA 1 year apart. The results showed that a one-factor solution had the most reliability and fitted best among the younger students, whereas a three-factor solution was most reliable and fit best among the older students. In terms of concurrent validity, depressive symptoms and school burnout were inversely related, and self-esteem and academic achievement were positively associated with EDA. Boys and upper-secondary-school students experienced lower levels of schoolwork engagement than girls and vocational-school students.

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