Emotional symptoms among adolescents: epidemiological analysis of individual-, classroom- and school-level factors

Charlotte Meilstrup, Annette K Ersbøll, Line Nielsen, Vibeke Koushede, Pernille Bendtsen, Pernille Due, Bjørn E Holstein

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

    Abstract

    BACKGROUND: Large proportions of schoolchildren suffer from emotional symptoms and there are large variations across schools. It is unknown to what degree this variation is due to composition of schoolchildren in each school or to contextual factors. Objectives are to identify factors at individual, classroom and school levels associated with emotional symptoms.

    METHOD: Data stem from the Danish contribution to the international Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study 2010 including 4922 schoolchildren aged 11-15-years from a random sample of schools and including data from school leaders. Emotional symptoms are defined as daily presence of at least one of four symptoms: feeling low, irritable or bad tempered, nervous and having difficulties falling asleep. Multilevel multivariable logistic regression analyses are applied to identify and quantify factors at individual, classroom and school level.

    RESULTS: Schoolchildren from low (odds ratio (OR) 1.70, 95% CI: 1.33-2.17) and medium (OR 1.50, 95% CI: 1.22-1.85) occupational social class (OSC), girls (OR 1.32, 95% CI: 1.13-1.56) and schoolchildren exposed to bullying (OR 3.82, 95% CI: 2.71-5.40), had increased odds for emotional symptoms. A negative classroom climate was associated with emotional symptoms (OR 1.29, 95% CI: 0.99-1.69) and so was being part of classrooms with a high prevalence of bullying (OR 1.28, 95% CI: 1.0-1.60).

    CONCLUSION: Female sex, low OSC, single parent family, exposure to bullying and a high prevalence of bullying within a class are all associated with emotional symptoms. Most variation across schools is explained by individual-level factors but psychosocial aspects of the classroom environment also play a role.

    Original languageEnglish
    JournalEuropean Journal of Public Health
    Volume25
    Issue number4
    Pages (from-to)644-649
    ISSN1101-1262
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 7. Apr 2015

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