Abstract
The current study investigated peer relationship and school climate factors associated with adolescent mental health. Cross-sectional data from 2,571 fifteen-year old students in 22 Scottish secondary schools was used. Multilevel models tested for school differences in mental health, and nested linear regression models estimated peer and school effects. Results demonstrated no significant between-school variation in mental health. Peer victimization was the only peer effect associated with mental health. School-belonging, student-teacher relationships, and a perceived inclusive school climate were associated with better mental health, whereas a perceived school climate of exam pressure was associated with worse mental health. The findings highlight multiple aspects of school climate that could be targeted in school-based interventions for adolescent mental health.
Highlights
Mental health problems represent the largest single cause of disability within the UK (Mental Health Taskforce, 2016)
Adolescent mental health has become a critical area for public health policy (House of Commons, 2019; World Health Organization, 2013), highlighting the need for research to uncover potentially modifiable factors associated with mental health during this life stage
Adjusted for background variables and school climate, victimization by school-based peers remained the only significant peer relationship variable, with higher levels of victimization associated with higher GHQ-12 scores (b = 0.35, p < .001)
Summary
Mental health problems represent the largest single cause of disability within the UK (Mental Health Taskforce, 2016). Social ecological theory provides a framework for organizing risk and protective factors into a continuum of micro-, meso- and macro-levels, representing a range of individual, social, and community or environmental influences. During adolescence, these layers of influence include individual characteristics, family dynamics, peer relationships, and the wider environment, such as school context. To control for associations between family health problems and adolescent mental health (Moffat & Redmond, 2017), we included a binary (yes/no) variable based on responses to whether “a close family member was seriously ill or injured” within the last year
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
