Mental Well-being Of Young People Research Articles

A national audit of prescribing in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

Abstract Introduction Specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) provide essential support to the mental well-being of young people. Concerns regarding CAMHS delivery in Ireland have been brought to the fore since 2022 and the publication of the Maskey report; this report presented the findings from a review into the care delivered in one region of Ireland and highlighted risk of harm to children and young people due to deviation from clinical best practice.[1] Following the report’s publication, a national audit of CAMHS prescribing practice was requested by the Minister for Mental Health and Older People. Aim To conduct an audit of prescribing in CAMHS nationally and determine adherence to defined audit standards. Methods Every community CAMHS team in Ireland were requested to self-complete the audit on a random sample of 50 children under their care between 1st July 2021 and 31st December 2021, and prescribed medication during this period. An audit tool was developed by the audit team, based on issues identified in the Maskey report, and was sent electronically to each CAMHS team. The tool gathered data on demographics of children, disorders treated, medications prescribed, patient monitoring and communication. Adherence to six audit standards was evaluated. These standards were: i)involvement of a consultant in prescribing. ii)consent to medication by parent/guardian. iii)baseline physical assessment. iv)ongoing physical monitoring. v)communication with general practitioner. vi)follow-up review appointment arranged. The target for each standard was set at 95%. Data were analysed using the software STATA Version 17.0[2] Results The audit sample comprised 3528 children, representing 74 CAMHS teams nationally. More males were included in the sample (n=1955, 55.4%). The median age was 15 years, with a range of 4-17 years. -The majority of children (70.6%) were taking one medication, 24.2% were prescribed two medications and 4.6% were prescribed three medications. -54% of children were prescribed ADHD medications; 41.9% were prescribed an anti-depressant, 10.9% were prescribed an antipsychotic. -Most medications were prescribed within recommended dose ranges. -95% of prescribing was done under consultant supervision. -89% of children had consent to medication documented. -90% of children had baseline physical monitoring conducted prior to prescribing. -92% of children had ongoing physical monitoring conducted. -90% had documented communication with the child’s general practitioner. -98% of children had follow-up review appointments arranged. Conclusion This audit of 3528 children from 74 CAMHS teams is the first of its kind to highlight nationally the broad complexity in prescribing practices in CAMHS in Ireland. These data add to the limited literature on the nature of illnesses treated by CAMHS and the need for services. The work has several strengths and limitations; a key strength is that 100% compliance was achieved in terms of participation of community CAMHS teams, a limitation is that external validation of the data was not undertaken as it was not feasible in the timeframe available. Several recommendations, at national and community health organisation level, were derived from the results of this audit.

Examining the mental health impacts of climate change on young people in Canada: a national cross-sectional survey

BackgroundClimate change poses a substantial threat to the mental wellbeing of young people. Population-level research is urgently needed to help inform policies and interventions to ensure that young people are not burdened by long-term mental health impacts from climate change. We sought to identify the prevalence, distribution, and factors associated with climate change-related mental and emotional health outcomes among young people (aged 13–34 years) in Canada. MethodsThis study is part of a larger cross-sectional survey, which examined mental and emotional health responses to climate change among individuals aged 13 years or older from across Canada. We used a multi-stage, multi-stratified random probability sampling procedure. Participants were randomly recruited through either an addressed letter or a telephone call. Online and telephone questionnaires were used to interview individuals in English, French, or Inuktitut between April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023. Data were weighted by age and province using population estimates from Statistics Canada and analysed using descriptive statistics, factor analyses, and multivariable regression analyses. FindingsThe full survey included 2476 participants, with a subgroup of 409 young people. Of the 401 respondents who provided their gender identity, 215 (54%) identified as cisgender women, 167 (42%) identified as cisgender men, and 19 (5%) identified as non-binary. Preliminary results suggest that young people in Canada experience a wide range of climate-related emotional and mental health outcomes. More than 70% of respondents in the young people subgroup reported having at least mild levels of sadness, anger, worry, anxiety, concern, helplessness, hopelessness, or powerlessness related to climate change. The severity of climate-related emotional responses differed by gender, with non-binary respondents and cisgender women reporting higher average levels of distress than cisgender men. Regional differences were also observed, with northern regions and urban locations reporting more severe reactions. InterpretationThis study builds on the understanding of the burden of climate change on the mental health of young people. If unaddressed, the impact of this burden could have long-standing and wide-reaching public health and related socioeconomic effects. FundingCanadian Institutes of Health Research, ArcticNet, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Doctoral Fellowship, Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarship, and Alberta Innovates Graduate Student Scholarship.

Perceived Stress, Poor Sleep Quality, and Mental Well-being in Young Adults

This study intended to identify the correlation between perceived stress (PS), Poor sleep quality (PSQ), and mental health. The hypothesis indicated that there could be a link between PS, PSQ, and mental well-being in young people. A sample of 488 young adults aged between 19 and 25 years (M = 20.38 and SD = 1.76), men (n = 244) and women (n = 244), was obtained from different private and government sector universities. Convenience sampling strategy: Participants were approached and data was collected. PS, PSQ, and mental well-being were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PS Scale, and Warwick. The Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale. Pearson product-moment correlation and moderation analysis using AMOS were used to test the hypotheses. Additional finding t-tests were used for independent samples. The study found that PS was positively connected with PSQ but unfavourably linked with mental well-being. Further research revealed substantial differences in young adults' feelings of stress, poor sleep, and mental health based on gender, university, and family structure.

Arts and Mental Health Co-Research with Youth Advisors: The Role of Emotions, Creating Community, Learning and Growth

The inclusion of children and young people as co-researchers within mental health research has become increasingly recognised as valuable to improve equity and research quality. These approaches are considered important to shift knowledge and power hierarchies in research that has traditionally marginalised the voices of young people and prioritised positivist ways of knowing. Yet, very little research has explored the value of including youth advisors in research exploring the arts and mental health. This article, co-written intergenerationally, explores the role of a youth advisory (YA) in the design, data collection, and knowledge exchange of the DanceConnect research project: a study exploring if and how online dance classes may improve the social and mental wellbeing of young people (aged 16–24) living with anxiety in the UK. Drawing upon qualitative data (audio recordings of advisory meetings from the study (n = 5 meetings), a youth advisory focus group with an arts-based component (n = 1), and researcher ethnographic fieldnotes from four researchers), this study reflects on the role of a youth advisory in young researchers’ own lives. Through a reflexive analytic approach, we found that the youth advisory constructed meaningful emotional experiences, fostered spaces of learning and growth, and enabled a sense of community. Reflecting on our findings, we also set out key recommendations for researchers working in the field of arts and mental health who may wish to establish youth advisories in the future. This article acts as an important resource that can be used to inform and reflect on improving coproduction processes with youth advisors in arts and mental health research.

Depression and Anxiety Among Children and Adolescents During the COVID-19 Outbreak: A Systematic Review

Context: During the outbreak of COVID-19, mental health problems were increasingly observed in children and adolescents, leading to negative physical and psychological consequences. This pandemic provided a unique opportunity for conducting survey studies on this topic. As there is no comprehensive research in this area, our aim was to provide a concise overview of previous studies on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental well-being of young people. Methods: We performed an electronic search in multiple databases for this systematic review. The quality of the studies was assessed on the basis of a 14-item quality assessment tool proposed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institutes (NHLBI) for observational cohort and cross-sectional studies. The time span encompassed December 2019 to December 2021, and the databases included PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. The search was based on the keywords: COVID-19, depression, anxiety, children, and adolescents. Based on our inclusion criteria, out of the 4516 articles reviewed, only eight papers were included in the final review, and their results were summarized and reported. Results: The negative mental health consequences of children during the coronavirus outbreak included increased anxiety and depression, increased behavioral and emotional problems, experiencing misbehaviors and emotional bullying, and increased anxiety and stress following harm, especially in girls. Conclusions: Considering the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's mental health, it seems necessary to conduct interventional studies to improve and reduce stress and anxiety in children and adolescents during future disease outbreaks.

The association of mental health literacy with mental well-being and help-seeking in young people: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ProblemIt is important to determine the relationship between mental health literacy (MHL), mental well-being and help seeking in young people in terms of guiding research and practices related to MHL. Eligibility criteriaA literature scan of the databases of Web of Science, PubMed, Science Direct, EBSCOhost CINAHL Complete, Cochrane Library, Springer Link, Scopus, Wiley Online Library, Ovid, Taylor & Francis and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global was conducted in May 2022 and April 2023 without any year limitations. SampleA total of 12 studies with 4659 young people were included. Data synthesis was performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) software. Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was used to calculate the effect size. ResultsIt was concluded that there was no correlation between MHL and mental well-being in young people (p > 0.05, r = 0.06, 95% CI = -0.05 to 0.16). A positive correlation was found between MHL with help seeking attitude (p < 0.01, r = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.30 to 0.63) and help-seeking intention (p < 0.01, r = 0.23, 95% CI = 0.12 to 0.34). ConclusionWhile there was a medium effect size between MHL and help seeking attitude in young people, there was a weak effect size between MHL and help seeking intention. No studies were found examining the relationship between MHL and help-seeking behavior in young people. ImplicationsNurses may provide support for young people in help seeking by giving education and counselling on MHL in schools and health institutions, and by creating reliable and easily accessible sources of information.

Prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among Iranians aged 6 to 18 years: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can lead to serious complications and have adverse effects on physical and mental well-being in young people. This review aimed to investigate the prevalence of NAFLD among Iranians aged 6 to 18 years. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted by systematic review and meta-analysis methods. A detailed search was performed on various international and Iranian databases from January 2000 to January 2023. The international databases included Pubmed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science, while the Iranian databases consisted of MagIran and SID. The quality of the selected studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Overall prevalence was estimated using the random-effects model and DerSimonian and Laird criteria with a 95% confidence interval. The Q-Cochrane test and the I2 index were used to assess heterogeneity between studies. In addition, a sensitivity analysis was performed to ensure the reliability of the results. Data analysis was performed in Stata12 software. Results: Finally, 9 studies were selected for analysis, of which, 7 studies were of good quality, while 2 studies were of average quality based on the assigned scores. According to the random-effects model, the overall prevalence of NAFLD in Iranian individuals aged 6 to 18 years was 35% with a 95% confidence interval (24% to 46%). Conclusion: The results of our study revealed a high prevalence of NAFLD in Iranian individuals aged 6 to 18 years. Policymakers and healthcare planners in Iran must implement educational programs aimed at the prevention and early diagnosis of this disease.

Sustaining youth physical activity in times of challenge and change: lessons from COVID-19.

Physical activity (PA) is recognized as essential for positive physical and mental well-being in young people. However, participation in PA is known to decline as adolescents emerge into adulthood under the influence of complex social and structural factors. Globally, COVID-19 restrictions resulted in changes to PA and PA participation levels in youth populations, providing a unique opportunity for gaining insight into PA barriers and enablers in circumstances of challenge, limitation and change. This article details young people's self-reported PA behaviours during the 4-week 2020 COVID-19 lockdown in New Zealand. Taking a strengths-based view and drawing on the COM-B (capabilities, opportunity and motivation behaviour) model for behaviour change, the study explores factors enabling young people to sustain or increase PA during lockdown. Findings are drawn from qualitative-dominant mixed-methods analyses of responses to an online questionnaire: New Zealand Youth Voices Matter (16-24 years; N = 2014). Key insights included the importance of habit and routine, time and flexibility, social connections, incidental exercise and awareness of links between PA and well-being. Of note were the positive attitudes, creativity and resiliency demonstrated as young people substituted or invented alternatives to their usual PA. PA needs to change to adapt to new circumstances over the life course, and youth understanding and knowledge of modifiable factors may provide support for this. Thus these findings have implications for sustaining PA during late adolescence and emerging adulthood, a life phase that can be associated with significant challenge and change.

Child and adolescent mental well-being intervention programme: A systematic review of randomised controlled trials.

There has been an increasing awareness and recognition of mental well-being as one of the main outcome measures in national mental health policy and service provision in recent years. Many systemic reviews on intervention programmes for mental health or general well-being in young people have been conducted; however, these reviews were not mental well-being specific. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of child and adolescent mental well-being intervention programmes and to identify the approach of effective intervention by reviewing the available Randomised Controlled Trials. This systematic review study followed the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews ensuring a methodical and structured approach for the literature search and the subsequent review processes. The systematic literature search utilised major medical and health databases. Covidence, an online application for conducting systematic reviews, was used to assemble the titles, abstracts and full articles retrieved from the initial literature search. To examine the quality of the included trials for determining the strength of the evidence provided, the JBI Critical Appraisal Tool for Randomised Controlled Trial was used. There were 34 studies identified after an extensive search of the literature following the PRISMA guidelines. Seven (7) fulfilled all selection criteria and provided information on the effect of an intervention programme on mental well-being in adolescence. Data were extracted and analysed systematically with key information summarised. The results suggested that two (2) programmes demonstrated significant intervention effects, but with a small effect size. The quality of these trials was also assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Tool for Randomised Controlled Trials and identified some methodological issues. In conclusion, activity-based and psychoeducation are shown to be potentially effective approaches for future programme development. More research on a well-designed programme is urgently needed, particularly in developing countries, to provide good evidence in supporting the mental health policy through the enhancement of mental well-being in young people.

Mobilising the Next Generation of Planetary Health Leaders: The Dynamism of Youth Engagement in Malaysia

With planetary health gaining traction as a global movement and problem-solving approach, this trans-disciplinary field is well-placed to provide an exciting and dynamic platform to promote engagement with young people. Previous studies have shown that although there is great energy and passion from youth, the global planetary health community struggles in sustaining young people’s motivations and engagement in today’s crowded physical and online environments. Planetary health advocates are also dealing with an increase in climate anxiety that has taken a toll on the emotional and mental wellbeing of young people. Here, we review our experience in engaging youth groups and networks in Malaysia through a four-pronged approach (consultation, facilitation, capacity-sharing, and evidence-building), as well as challenges commonly faced by the planetary health community in educating and building a youth movement. After a year of engagement, we found that mobilising the next generation of planetary health leaders requires a change in existing power dynamics to a capacity-sharing model, an emphasis on clear, simplified, and effective communications that utilise the mainstream youth spaces (e.g., social media), and hopeful messages to counter apathy and anxiety into action.

Mental well-being in young people with psychiatric disorders during the early phase of COVID-19 lockdown.

BackgroundMental health and well-being were seriously impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown especially among young people and people with psychiatric disorders. This study aimed to identify factors associated with well-being in young people with psychiatric disorders, during early phase of COVID-19 lockdown in France.MethodsA national cross-sectional online study started on the 8th day of COVID-19 lockdown in France (during March 25–30, 2020). We included young people aged from 16 to 29 who responded to the questionnaire, living and being confined in France, with past or current psychiatric treatment. The questionnaire was accessible online and explored demographics and clinical factors, well-being, stress, situation during lockdown. Well-being was measured by the Warwick-Edinburg Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS). Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were carried out.Results439 individuals were included with 262 (59.7%) previously treated and 177 (40.3%) currently treated. WEMWBS total score were 42.48 (9.05). Feeling of useful was the most affected dimension. Well-being was positively correlated with: currently working on site, physical activity, abilities to cope with difficulties, family and social supports (p<0.05). It was negatively correlated with: elevated stress level, anxious ruminations, dissatisfaction with information, difficulties to sleep or reorganize daily life, feeling supported by medicines (p<0.05). No individual factor was correlated with well-being. The stepwise linear multivariate model had simple R2 coefficient of determination of 0.535.ConclusionIn the specific population of young people with psychiatric disorders, factors associated with well-being at early stage of lockdown were mainly psychosocial and related to brutal disorganisation of daily life.

The challenges of assessing the impact of a comedy programme aimed at improving the mental well-being of young people

Assessing the impact of community-based programmes presents many challenges. One difficulty encountered is how to develop appropriate research methods to capture the impact of the work while also meeting the demands of external funders. For almost two decades, the charity organisation The Comedy Trust (TCT) have attempted to navigate these challenges. In 2018, TCT had the opportunity to work with a university-based researcher to develop their approaches to research. We aimed to explore what happens when you move away from quantifiable predetermined methods to take a more participatory approach to work alongside the participants of the programme. We decided to focus on their Feeling Funny Youth programme, which is aimed at young people to support their mental health and well-being. This paper is a case study of how the programme worked with a group of young people based within a youth organisation. In this paper, we offer a comparison of the standardised tool adopted by TCT with the development of more creative and participatory methods developed in collaboration with young people who participated in the programme. We offer an insight into what can be gained by adopting more creative and participatory methods to capture the experiences of young people, as this enabled us to really hear the important messages they want to share.

High Five: creating compassion and mental wellbeing in young people in Scotland and Brazil

High Five is an innovative programme developed by CI health and education partners, based on “Five ways to wellbeing’’ published by the New Economics Foundation. It presents simple messages about self esteem, self compassion, kindness and wellbeing and prepares children and young people to talk about challenging topics such as death and dying, bereavement or loss. For high school and college students it also explores issues of sexuality, bullying, self harm and suicide prevention. Aims are to nurture empathy, create compassionate communities in schools and develop a cohort of young compassionate citizens as future community leaders.Inverclyde population is 80,000 with high levels of poverty, unemployment, alcohol misuse, drug addiction and poor mental health. Programme partners are health, education, social care and Third sector.Developed during 2016, it has been adapted for different educational stages. It is now in all Inverclyde primary schools and has been delivered to around 200 high school or college students. In the pilot, college students demonstrated significant improvement in Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale scores (WEMWBS). They found photo sharing an excellent reflective tool and set up a wellbeing Facebook page. During 2017, High Five was adapted for children age 6 using creativity and fun to learn about wellbeing. Now adapted for age 14 – 17, the programme has seen an increase in young people volunteering and participating in intergenerational befriending. Other successes include some young people with emotional support needs who re-engaged in school.The lesson plan and packs developed frame High Five in the mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing experience and outcomes of the school curriculum. This has enabled the programme to be embedded in all Inverclyde primary schools. The High Five programme was introduced to 3 high schools in Sao Sebastiao, Litoral Norte, Sao Paulo state, Brazil through the Transforming Together project. For ‘Yellow September’ all 10 high schools are taking part in a joint health and education campaign to raise awareness about suicide prevention. From 2020, pupils from schools in Scotland and Litoral Norte will link by zoom to exchange insights about mental health and wellbeing, make new friendships, and discover new possibilities for their future.High Five is evidence based, effective and can be readily adapted across age ranges and life stages. This integrated approach across health, social care and education is improving wellbeing and building social capital and kindness. The programme is being embedded in schools in Inverclyde and embraced by schools in Sao Paulo. Short term impacts on wellbeing and increasing volunteering are matched by longer term gains from inspiring a new generation of compassionate citizens.High Five is an effective integrated approach to create wellbeing and resilience in communities with challenging socio-economic profiles across the globe. Embraced equally by young people in Scotland and in Brazil, it is a powerful and transferable tool to enhance mental wellbeing and improve population health.

National tests and the wellbeing of primary school pupils: new evidence from the UK

ABSTRACT There is growing concern about the mental wellbeing of young people, including how this is related to national tests. This is a particularly important policy issue in England, where it is claimed that the end of primary Key Stage 2 tests cause schools, pupils and teachers stress. I investigate this issue using data from the Millennium Cohort Study, comparing the wellbeing of pupils in England (measured around the point they are sitting their Key Stage 2 tests) to the rest of the UK (where Key Stage 2 tests are not taken). No evidence is found that the Key Stage 2 tests in England is associated with lower levels of happiness, enjoyment of school, self-esteem or children’s mental wellbeing. Likewise, no evidence is found that children who are happier, more self-confident or with higher levels of wellbeing obtain higher Key Stage 2 test scores.

Mixed Reality Technology as a Delivery Mechanism for Psychological Intervention in Adolescents With Asthma: A Qualitative Protocol

Australia has one of the highest asthma prevalence rates in the world, with this chronic and debilitating condition affecting one in nine people. The health and mental wellbeing of young people with asthma are worse than not only their peers without asthma but also worse than that of people with asthma at other ages. Psychological interventions could be beneficial in treating symptoms of elevated psychological distress in patients with asthma. However, evidence suggests that engagement with mental health services is low in this population. Technology-based solutions that engage youth may overcome barriers to service uptake for both mental health and asthma management. To fast-track the successful translation of evidence-based treatment into practice, interactive, mixed-reality technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and holographic technology may provide a novel, low-cost solution, yet to date, methodological rigor in the evaluation of mixed reality for this purpose is lacking. To evaluate the perceived usability and acceptability of these technologies, mixed reality tools will be developed by the author team to deliver a component of a psychological intervention for treatment of elevated psychological distress among young people with asthma. Qualitative research will be conducted through one-on-one interviews with young people with asthma, parents/caregivers of young people with asthma, and with health professionals, during which participants will have time to interact with the resources. Moderator guides will be used to direct interviews, and will be supplemented with a questionnaire, including Likert-type measures of usability and acceptability to facilitate triangulation of data. Understanding and data obtained through this study will be used to develop version 2.0 mixed reality tools, which will be tested for feasibility in a RCT. Improving access to and uptake of evidence-based treatments for elevated psychological distress in young people with asthma may reduce the burden of this highly prevalent disease.

Young Persons’ Psychological Responses, Mental Health and Sense of Agency for the Dual Challenges of Climate Change and a Global Pandemic

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and climate change are both significant and pressing global challenges, posing threats to public health and wellbeing. Young people represent a particularly vulnerable group to the distress both crises appear to engender, but we currently lack an understanding of the varied psychological responses to both issues, and their links with mental health conditions and feelings of agency. Methods: We conducted an online survey in August - October 2020 targeting a diverse sample of young people (16–24 years, N=530) in the United Kingdom. Findings: While UK youth reported more life disruption and concern for their future due to the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change was associated with significantly greater distress overall, particularly for individuals with low levels of generalised anxiety. COVID-19 was more associated with feelings of anxiety, isolation, disconnection, and frustration; distress around loss and grief; and effects on quality of life. Climate change was more likely to evoke interest and engagement, guilt, shame, anger, and disgust; and distress associated with guilt, feeling responsible and media coverage. Agency to address climate change was associated with greater climate distress, but COVID-related distress and agency were unrelated. Interpretation: COVID-19 and climate change are affecting the wellbeing of young people in distinct ways, with implications for health service, policy and research responses. There is a need for mental health practitioners and policy makers to account for the complex relationship between climate agency, distress and mental wellbeing in young people. Funding: Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London. Declaration of Interests: We declare no conflicts of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: The study was reviewed and received approval from the Imperial College London Science, Engineering, & Technology Research Ethics Committee (SETREC; approval number 20IC6060).

Book review: Find Your Way: A Story and Drama Resource to Promote Mental Wellbeing in Young People

Book review: <i>Find Your Way: A Story and Drama Resource to Promote Mental Wellbeing in Young People</i>

Information Technology Use and Cyberbullying Behavior in South Thailand: A Test of the Goldilocks Hypothesis.

There has been concern about the effects of high levels of internet use on the mental well-being of young people. This has generally been phrased in terms of a displacement hypothesis, that the extent of internet use and mental well-being are directly proportional. This linear model has been contrasted with a Goldilocks Hypothesis, proposed by Przybylski and Weinstein. This supposes that moderate levels of internet use may be the least harmful, conforming to a curvilinear relationship. Here these hypotheses were tested on a sample of 1140 adolescents (42% boys, 58% girls) aged 12–18 years, in 12 schools from Southern Thailand. We first report levels of internet use, and of cybervictimization, taken as one important aspect of mental well-being. We then assess the relationship of four factors of internet use (frequency, time spent, number of places accessed, number of activities) with (a) being a victim of cyberbullying, and (b) being a frequent victim; taking these as indicators of mental well-being. For (a) there was limited evidence of a Goldilocks effect on two out of four measures. For (b) the evidence did support a Goldilocks effect for all four measures, but these were under-powered analyses and the findings did not reach statistical significance. If substantiated on larger samples, a curvilinear relationship between aspects of internet use and cyberbullying would suggest a ‘safe zone’ for adolescent internet use, bringing its benefits while minimizing risks of cyberbullying. In the future, similar research should use larger sample sizes or longitudinal measures when exploring nonlinear trends and include other aspects of mental well-being.

Sports participation for mental health promotion among socially vulnerable youth: a study protocol

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.

Resettling into a new life: Exploring aspects of acculturation that could enhance the mental health of young refugees resettled under the humanitarian programme.

Globally, the exodus of individuals who have been forced to flee their home and seek refuge in countries of safety has led to a refugee crisis. The United Kingdom (UK) has engaged with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in playing a significant role in the long-term resettlement of refugees, half of whom are children and young people. One initiative of such humanitarian resettlement is the Gateway Protection Programme (GPP). To date, there is a dearth of studies investigating aspects of acculturation that affect the mental health of young refugees resettled under the UNHCR humanitarian programme. This study aimed to explore aspects of acculturation that could enhance the mental health of GPP young refugees several years after resettlement. Using narrative research, a purposive sample of 31 GPP young refugees, who had a minimum of three-year stay in the UK, were recruited from local refugee community organizations. Data were collected through a multi-method design combining focus group discussions (FGDs) with visual arts-based narrative research (VABNR) and analysed thematically. Three overarching themes emerged: People and places; Its nearly all new to me; and Finding self. This study contributes important knowledge regarding the mental well-being of young people who have engaged in a resettlement programme and offers valuable information for policymakers and mental health professionals working with GPP young refugees.