Centre for Psychiatry and Mental Health, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary, University of London, London, United Kingdom.
Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London, United Kingdom.
PLoS One. 2023 Aug 31;18(8):e0289438. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289438. eCollection 2023.
Youth adversity (e.g., abuse and bullying victimisation) is robust risk factor for later mental health problems (e.g., depression and anxiety). Research shows the prevalence of youth adversity and rates of mental health problems vary by individual characteristics, identity or social groups (e.g., gender and ethnicity). However, little is known about whether the impact of youth adversity on mental health problems differ across the intersections of these characteristics (e.g., white females). This paper reports on a component of the ATTUNE research programme (work package 2) which aims to investigate the impact and mechanisms of youth adversity on depressive and anxiety symptoms in young people by intersectionality profiles.
The data are from 4 UK adolescent cohorts: HeadStart Cornwall, Oxwell, REACH, and DASH. These cohorts were assembled for adolescents living in distinct geographical locations representing coastal, suburban and urban places in the UK. Youth adversity was assessed using a series of self-report questionnaires and official records. Validated self-report instruments measured depressive and anxiety symptoms. A range of different variables were classified as possible social and cognitive mechanisms.
Structural equation modelling (e.g., multiple group models, latent growth models) and multilevel modelling will be used, with adaptation of methods to suit the specific available data, in accord with statistical and epidemiological conventions.
The results from this research programme will broaden our understanding of the association between youth adversity and mental health, including new information about intersectionality and related mechanisms in young people in the UK. The findings will inform future research, clinical guidance, and policy to protect and promote the mental health of those most vulnerable to the negative consequences of youth adversity.
青少年时期的逆境经历（例如，遭受虐待和欺凌）是导致后期心理健康问题（例如，抑郁和焦虑）的一个强有力的风险因素。研究表明，青少年逆境的普遍性和心理健康问题的发生率因个体特征、身份或社会群体（例如，性别和种族）而异。然而，对于青少年逆境对心理健康问题的影响是否因这些特征（例如，白人女性）的交叉而有所不同，我们知之甚少。本文报告了 ATTUNE 研究计划（工作包 2）的一个组成部分，该计划旨在通过交叉性特征来研究青少年逆境对青少年抑郁和焦虑症状的影响及其机制。
数据来自 4 个英国青少年队列：HeadStart Cornwall、Oxwell、REACH 和 DASH。这些队列是为生活在英国不同地理位置的青少年组建的，代表了沿海、郊区和城市地区。青少年逆境经历是通过一系列自我报告问卷和官方记录来评估的。经过验证的自我报告工具用于测量抑郁和焦虑症状。一系列不同的变量被归类为可能的社会和认知机制。
将使用结构方程模型（例如，多组模型、潜在增长模型）和多层次模型，并根据具体可用数据和统计与流行病学惯例来适应方法。
该研究计划的结果将拓宽我们对青少年逆境与心理健康之间关联的理解，包括有关英国年轻人交叉性和相关机制的新信息。研究结果将为未来的研究、临床指导和政策提供信息，以保护和促进那些最容易受到青少年逆境负面影响的人的心理健康。
