Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
J Epidemiol Community Health. 2022 Feb;76(2):133-139. doi: 10.1136/jech-2021-216761. Epub 2021 Aug 16.
Mental health competence (MHC) involves psychosocial capabilities such as regulating emotions, interacting well with peers and caring for others, and predicts a range of health and social outcomes. This study examines the course of MHC from childhood to adolescence and patterning by gender and disadvantage, in Australian and UK contexts.
Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (n=4983) and the Millennium Cohort Study (n=18 296). A measure capturing key aspects of MHC was derived summing items from the parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, assessed at 4-5 years, 6-7 years, 10-11 years and 14-15 years. Proportions of children with high MHC (scores ≥23 of range 8-24) were estimated by age and country. Random-effects models were used to define MHC trajectories according to baseline MHC and change over time. Sociodemographic patterns were described.
The prevalence of high MHC steadily increased from 4 years to 15 years (from 13.6% to 15.8% and 20.6% to 26.2% in Australia and the UK, respectively). Examination of trajectories revealed that pathways of some children diverge from this normative MHC progression. For example, 7% and 9% of children in Australia and the UK, respectively, had a low starting point and decreased further in MHC by mid-adolescence. At all ages, and over time, MHC was lower for boys compared with girls and for children from disadvantaged compared with advantaged family backgrounds.
Approaches to promoting MHC require a sustained focus from the early years through to adolescence, with more intensive approaches likely needed to support disadvantaged groups and boys.
心理健康能力（MHC）涉及情绪调节、与同龄人良好互动和关心他人等社会心理能力，可预测一系列健康和社会结果。本研究在澳大利亚和英国背景下，考察了 MHC 从儿童期到青春期的发展过程以及性别和劣势的模式。
澳大利亚儿童纵向研究（n=4983）和千禧年队列研究（n=18296）。通过对父母报告的《长处与困难问卷》中的项目进行求和，得出了一项捕捉 MHC 关键方面的衡量标准，该问卷在 4-5 岁、6-7 岁、10-11 岁和 14-15 岁时进行评估。根据年龄和国家，估计了具有高 MHC（得分≥23，范围 8-24）的儿童比例。采用随机效应模型根据基线 MHC 和随时间的变化定义 MHC 轨迹。描述了社会人口统计学模式。
高 MHC 的患病率从 4 岁到 15 岁稳步上升（澳大利亚和英国分别从 13.6%增加到 15.8%和从 20.6%增加到 26.2%）。对轨迹的检查表明，一些儿童的轨迹与这种规范的 MHC 进展不同。例如，澳大利亚和英国分别有 7%和 9%的儿童起点较低，到青春期中期 MHC 进一步下降。在所有年龄阶段和整个时间内，男孩的 MHC 都低于女孩，来自劣势家庭背景的儿童的 MHC 也低于优势家庭背景的儿童。
促进 MHC 的方法需要从幼儿期到青春期持续关注，对于劣势群体和男孩，可能需要更密集的方法来提供支持。
