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Prevalence rates and risk factors for mental health difficulties in adolescents aged 16 and 17 years living in rural Ireland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 May 2014

D. Martyn ,
L. Andrews  and
M. Byrne
D. Martyn*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Health Service Executive West, Roscommon, Ireland
L. Andrews
Affiliation:
School of Health and Human Sciences, University of Essex, UK
M. Byrne
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Health Service Executive West, Roscommon, Ireland
*
*Address for correspondence: D. Martyn, D.Clin.Psych, Clinical Psychologist, Department of Child And Adolescent Psychology, Health Service Executive West, Roscommon Primary Care Centre, Roscommon, Ireland. (Email: deirdre.martyn@hse.ie)
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Abstract

Objective

This study sought to ascertain the prevalence rates and risk factors for a range of mental health difficulties, including suicidal ideation/self-harm among 16 and 17-year-old rural Irish adolescents, a vulnerable group in transition from childhood to adulthood.

Method

Adolescents (n=237) took part in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed a questionnaire compendium consisting of generic questions on demographic information, use of mental health services and four normed questionnaires: The Youth Self-Report, the Children’s Depression Inventory, the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations-Adolescent and The Family Assessment Device.

Results

We found that 16.9% of adolescents reported clinically significant mental health difficulties. Significant gender differences were found on internalising and externalising difficulties. There were no gender differences in suicidal ideation or self-harm. Only 3.4% of adolescents were receiving professional help for mental health difficulties. Multiple regression analyses revealed that family dysfunction, emotion-focussed coping and poor academic competence were significant predictors of poorer mental health difficulties in both genders. Family dysfunction was the strongest predictor of mental health difficulties in males. Among females, emotion-focussed coping was the strongest predictor of internalising difficulties and depression. Social diversion (social support) was predictive of less internalising difficulties and depression for females.

Conclusion

The study shows that a significant number of Irish 16 and 17 year olds have mental health difficulties, yet very few are receiving treatment. Emotion-focussed coping, family dysfunction, poor academic competence and less social support were important predictors of mental health difficulties. A new finding is the stronger association that family dysfunction has with poorer mental health in males than females, when controlling for academic competence and coping skills. The findings may have implications for psychological interventions.

Keywords

Adolescencedepressiongender differencesinternalising difficulties/externalising difficultiesrisk factorsself-harmsuicidal ideation
Type
Original Research
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 31 , Issue 2 , June 2014 , pp. 111 - 123
Copyright
© College of Psychiatrists of Ireland 2014 

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