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

Abstract

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.