Wong John Chee Meng, Lei Natalie Cheok Ling, Kom Dennis Mun Yen, Fee Victoria Hui Fen, Yap Natalie Huijing, Teoh Jie Yu, Shen Liang, Yap Qai Ven, Wan Michelle Jing Si, Du Ruochen, Kroneman Leoniek, Fung Daniel Shuen Sheng, Ong Say How, Tian Cheong Sing, Bin Sachiman Muhammad Nabil Syukri, Sii Nicholas En-Ping, Teng Jia Ying, Ng Tze Pin, Verhulst Frank
Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Department of Psychological Medicine, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.
Front Psychiatry. 2024 Nov 1;15:1454484. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1454484. eCollection 2024.
Adolescence is a pivotal developmental phase, marked by a high prevalence of mental health issues. The Singapore Youth Epidemiology and Resilience (YEAR) study aims to assess the prevalence of mental health symptoms, sociodemographic risk factors, and the protective role of resilience in a multi-ethnic, Asian school-going adolescent population.
School-based adolescents aged 11-18 and their parents were invited from a stratified sample of national schools, designed to be demographically representative of the mainstream school-going population. In the screening phase, adolescents completed a battery of questionnaires including the Youth Self-Report (YSR), Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL), and the Singapore Youth Resilience Scale (SYRESS). Thereafter, diagnostic interviews were conducted on high-risk and control participants. Data analysis was conducted to establish prevalence rates of mental health symptoms, and to examine the associations between mental health symptoms, sociodemographic factors, and resilience.
The final study sample consisted of 3336 adolescents and 2475 parents. Based on adolescents' response on the YSR, 37.3%, 13.1% and 27.7% of the YEAR Study population scored in the clinical range for internalizing, externalizing and total problems respectively. Based on parents' reporting on their children on the CBCL, 15.9%, 4.0% and 11.2% scored in the clinical range for internalizing, externalizing and total problems respectively. Sociodemographic risk factors for specific mental health symptoms were identified, including belonging to the age category of 15-16 (OR, 1.8-2.2) and those living in either a 4-, 5-room or executive flat (OR, 0.6-0.7), or in condominiums and other apartments (OR, 0.4-0.6). Total resilience scores were moderately correlated with total [rs(3334) = -.49, p <.01] and internalizing [rs(3334) = -.50, p <.01] problem scores on the YSR.
This study illustrates the state of mental health of school-going adolescents aged 11-18. The greater prevalence of internalizing symptoms indicates the need for stronger attention for identifying internalizing problems and targeted interventions for those at risk of such symptoms. The association between mental health symptoms and resilience factors highlights the protective potential of resilience building for adolescents.
青春期是一个关键的发育阶段，心理健康问题高发。新加坡青少年流行病学与复原力（YEAR）研究旨在评估多民族亚洲在校青少年群体中心理健康症状的患病率、社会人口统计学风险因素以及复原力的保护作用。
从国立学校的分层样本中邀请11至18岁的在校青少年及其父母，该样本在人口统计学上代表主流在校人群。在筛查阶段，青少年完成一系列问卷，包括青少年自评量表（YSR）、儿童行为检查表（CBCL）和新加坡青少年复原力量表（SYRESS）。此后，对高风险参与者和对照参与者进行诊断访谈。进行数据分析以确定心理健康症状的患病率，并检查心理健康症状、社会人口统计学因素和复原力之间的关联。
最终研究样本包括3336名青少年和2475名父母。根据青少年在YSR上的回答，YEAR研究人群中分别有37.3%、13.1%和27.7%的人在内化问题、外化问题和总问题的临床范围内得分。根据父母在CBCL上对孩子的报告，分别有15.9%、4.0%和11.2%的人在内化问题、外化问题和总问题的临床范围内得分。确定了特定心理健康症状的社会人口统计学风险因素，包括属于15至16岁年龄组（比值比，1.8至2.2）以及居住在四室、五室或行政公寓（比值比，0.6至0.7）或共管公寓及其他公寓（比值比，0.4至0.6）的人。总复原力得分与YSR上的总问题得分[rs(3334) = -.49, p <.01]和内化问题得分[rs(3334) = -.50, p <.01]中度相关。
本研究阐述了11至18岁在校青少年的心理健康状况。内化症状的较高患病率表明需要更加关注识别内化问题，并针对有此类症状风险的人群进行有针对性的干预。心理健康症状与复原力因素之间的关联凸显了培养青少年复原力的保护潜力。
