The status and influencing factors of adolescents' mental health in a province of China: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

ObjectiveTo understand the mental health status of adolescents in China and its influencing factors. MethodsThe stratified cluster sampling method was used to evaluate the mental health status of 5633 adolescents using the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90). ResultsThere were statistically significant differences in the overall mean score of SCL-90 and the mean score of each subscale among adolescents in gender, grade, family, and region. The mean score of the interpersonal sensitivity and phobic anxiety subscales of the adolescents with rural household registration was higher than that of the urban household registration. Except for hostility and phobic anxiety subscales, there was a significant difference between junior high school and senior high school students in the remaining subscales. There were significant differences between only children and non-only children in the obsessive-compulsive symptoms and phobic anxiety subscales. The mean scores of depression, phobic anxiety, and other subscales of left-behind adolescents were significantly different from those of non-left-behind adolescents. Female gender (OR = 1.789), different-grade (junior high school sophomore: OR = 2.201; junior high school third grade: OR = 2.004; high school freshman: OR = 2.279; high school sophomore: OR = 2.947; high school senior: OR = 2.112), different-region (central region: OR = 1.302; southern region: OR = 1.925) and high school (OR = 1.281) adolescents had a higher risk of mental health problems, while those from two-parent families (OR = 0.68) had a lower risk. LimitationsThis study is a cross-sectional study and not widely representative. ConclusionGender, grade, region, and academic period are risk factors, and a two-parent family is a protective factor for adolescents' mental health.