Daniel-Atutolu Metua, Daniela-Wong Evangelene, Bay Jacquie L, Tamarua-Herman Neti, Porio Christine, Vickers Mark H
Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Te Marae Ora, Cook Islands Ministry of Health, Rarotonga, Cook Islands.
J R Soc N Z. 2025 Apr 6;55(6):2689-2701. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2025.2486046. eCollection 2025.
Approximately 15% of adolescents experience a mental health disorder, accounting for a significant proportion of the global burden of illness. Moreover, the rates of diagnosed mental and behavioural disorders in adolescents have risen significantly over recent years. The prevalence of poor mental health in Pacific Island populations remains poorly defined, particularly during the period of adolescence which represents a sensitive period for the development of mental health disorders. In the present study, a survey of mental health in adolescents in the Cook Islands was undertaken using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Fifty-seven adolescents (aged 13-14 years) representing three schools across the Cook Islands completed the self-report SDQ. A large proportion of students presented with total SDQ scores that well exceeded those mapped against the expected band prevalence with 38% of adolescents having total difficulties scores in the High-Very High category versus an expected banding for these categories at 10%. This study has highlighted a current significant mental health burden in Cook Island adolescents and identified an urgent need to develop scaffolded resources to support these students, their families, the schools and wider community.
约15%的青少年患有心理健康障碍，在全球疾病负担中占相当大的比例。此外，近年来青少年中已诊断出的精神和行为障碍发生率显著上升。太平洋岛屿人群中不良心理健康状况的患病率仍未明确界定，尤其是在青春期这一心理健康障碍发展的敏感期。在本研究中，使用长处与困难问卷（SDQ）对库克群岛青少年的心理健康状况进行了调查。代表库克群岛三所学校的57名青少年（年龄在13至14岁之间）完成了SDQ自评。很大一部分学生的SDQ总分远远超过了根据预期频段患病率划定的分数，38%的青少年的总困难分数处于高-非常高类别，而这些类别的预期频段为10%。本研究凸显了库克群岛青少年当前面临的重大心理健康负担，并确定迫切需要开发有支撑作用的资源来支持这些学生、他们的家庭、学校及更广泛的社区。
