Medical Research Council Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, 4 Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow, G12 8RZ, UK.
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2010 Jan;45(1):115-23. doi: 10.1007/s00127-009-0047-z. Epub 2009 Apr 7.
In Britain and elsewhere there is ethnic variation in mental health in adulthood but less is known about adolescence. Few studies examining the role of family life in adolescent mental well-being have been based on a multi-ethnic UK sample. We explored whether family activities explain ethnic differences in mental health among adolescents in London, UK.
These analyses are based on 4,349 Black Caribbean, Black African, Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi and White UK boys and girls aged 11-13, in 51 schools. Psychological well-being was measured as the total difficulties score from Goodman's strengths and difficulties questionnaire (increasing score represents increasing difficulties).
Participation in family activities varied by ethnicity. Compared with the White UK group, all minority groups were more likely to visit friends and relatives and go other places as a family. Black Caribbeans and Nigerian/Ghanaians were less likely and South Asian groups more likely to eat a meal together as a family. In multivariate analyses all minority groups had better well-being scores compared to Whites, independent of family type and socio-economic status (SES). Although adjusting for family activities slightly attenuated the association for South Asians, the minority ethnic advantage in psychological well-being remained [regression coefficients for Black Caribbeans = -0.66 (95% CI = -1.13, -0.20); Nigerian/Ghanaians = -1.27 (-1.81, -0.74); Other Africans = -1.43 (-2.00, -0.86); Indians = -1.15 (-1.73, -0.58); Pakistani/Bangladeshis = -0.66 (-1.20, -0.12)]. In analyses based on the whole group, all activity variables were independent correlates of psychological well-being. Multivariate models, stratified by ethnicity, showed that <or=weekly compared to daily family meals was associated with poorer mental health for all groups, except Black Caribbeans, independent of family type and SES.
Despite ethnic patterning of the frequency of family activities, adjusting for differences in these variables did not account for the better psychological well-being of minorities. Family activities were, however, important independent correlates of psychological well-being for all groups in this sample.
在英国和其他地方，成年人的心理健康存在种族差异，但对青少年的情况了解较少。很少有研究考察家庭生活在青少年心理健康中的作用，这些研究是基于英国多民族的样本。我们探讨了在伦敦，家庭活动是否可以解释青少年心理健康的种族差异。
这些分析基于英国 51 所学校的 4349 名加勒比黑人、非洲黑人、印度人、巴基斯坦人和孟加拉人以及白人英国男孩和女孩，年龄在 11-13 岁。心理健康是用 Goodman 的优势和困难问卷的总困难得分来衡量的（得分越高表示困难越多）。
家庭活动的参与因种族而异。与白人英国组相比，所有少数族裔群体更有可能拜访朋友和亲戚，以及全家一起去其他地方。加勒比黑人以及尼日利亚/加纳人较少全家一起吃饭，而南亚群体则更有可能这样做。在多变量分析中，所有少数族裔群体的心理健康评分都优于白人，这与家庭类型和社会经济地位（SES）无关。尽管调整家庭活动后，南亚群体的相关性略有减弱，但少数族裔在心理幸福感方面仍有优势[加勒比黑人的回归系数=-0.66（95%CI=-1.13，-0.20）；尼日利亚/加纳人的回归系数=-1.27（-1.81，-0.74）；其他非洲人的回归系数=-1.43（-2.00，-0.86）；印度人的回归系数=-1.15（-1.73，-0.58）；巴基斯坦/孟加拉人的回归系数=-0.66（-1.20，-0.12）]。在基于整组人群的分析中，所有活动变量都是心理健康的独立相关因素。按族裔分层的多变量模型显示，与每天家庭用餐相比，每周<或=一次家庭用餐与所有群体的心理健康状况较差有关，除了加勒比黑人，这与家庭类型和 SES 无关。
尽管家庭活动的频率存在种族差异，但调整这些变量的差异并不能解释少数族裔更好的心理健康状况。然而，对于本样本中的所有群体，家庭活动都是心理健康的重要独立相关因素。
