AimChildren and adolescents with low socioeconomic status (SES) suffer from mental health problems more often than their peers with high SES. The aim of the current study was to investigate the direct and interactive association between commonly used indicators of SES and the exposure to stressful life situations in relation to children’s mental health problems.MethodsThe prospective BELLA cohort study is the mental health module of the representative, population-based German National Health Interview and Examination Survey for children and adolescents (KiGGS). Sample data include 2,111 participants (aged 7–17 years at baseline) from the first three measurement points (2003–2006, 2004–2007 and 2005–2008). Hierarchical multiple linear regression models were conducted to analyze associations among the SES indicators household income, parental education and parental unemployment (assessed at baseline), number of stressful life situations (e.g., parental accident, mental illness or severe financial crises; 1- and 2-year follow-ups) and parent-reported mental health problems (Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire; 2-year follow-up).ResultsAll indicators of SES separately predicted mental health problems in children and adolescents at the 2-year follow-up. Stressful life situations (between baseline and 2-year follow-up) and the interaction of parental education and the number of stressful life situations remained significant in predicting children’s mental health problems after adjustment for control variables. Thereby, children with higher educated parents showed fewer mental health problems in a stressful life situation. No moderating effect was found for household income and parental employment. Overall, the detected effect sizes were small. Mental health problems at baseline were the best predictor for mental health problems two years later.ConclusionsChildren and adolescents with a low SES suffer from multiple stressful life situations and are exposed to a higher risk of developing mental health problems. The findings suggest that the reduction of socioeconomic inequalities and interventions for families with low parental education might help to reduce children’s mental health problems.

Mental health and well-being are of great interest in health policy and research. Longitudinal surveys are needed to provide solid population-based data. We describe the design and methods of an 11-year follow-up of the German BELLA study in children, adolescents and young adults, and we report on age- and gender-specific courses of general health and well-being, long-term health-related outcomes of mental health problems, and mental health care use. The BELLA study is the module on mental health and well-being within the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS). Standardised measures were used at each of the five measurement points of the BELLA study. In the 11-year follow-up, young people aged 7–31 years participated (n = 3492). Individual growth modelling, linear regression and descriptive analyses were conducted. Self-reported general health and well-being were both better in younger (vs. older) and in male (vs. female) participants according to the data from all five measurement points. Mental health problems in childhood and adolescence (measured at baseline) predicted impaired health outcomes at 6-year and 11-year follow-ups. Approximately one out of four children with a diagnosed mental disorder was not undergoing mental health treatment. With its 11-year follow-up, the prospective longitudinal BELLA study provides new and solid data on mental health and well-being from childhood to adulthood in Germany, and these data are important for health promotion and prevention practices. These results are consistent with previous findings. Promising future analyses are planned.

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The Kids-CAT was considered an efficient and valuable tool for assessing HRQoL in children and adolescents. The Kids-CAT Report promises to be a useful adjunct to standard clinical care with the potential to improve patient-physician communication, enabling pediatricians to evaluate and monitor their young patients' self-reported HRQoL.

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Zusammenfassung. Psychische Auffälligkeiten sind in der Kindheit und Jugend häufig und weisen geschlechts- und altersbedingte Unterschiede auf. Aktuelle, bundesweit repräsentative Daten über den Verlauf von psychischen Auffälligkeiten fehlen bisher. Anhand der Angaben von 3 256 Teilnehmern (7 – 19 Jahre) der prospektiven und für Deutschland repräsentativen BELLA-Kohortenstudie wurde mit Mehrebenenmodellen der Verlauf von Depression (CES-DC), Angst (SCARED-5), ADHS (Conners 3) und Störungen des Sozialverhaltens (CBCL) untersucht. Insgesamt zeigten im Elternbericht 11.2 % der Kinder und Jugendlichen klinisch bedeutsame Anzeichen für Depression, 10.6 % für Angst, 5.7 % für ADHS und 12.2 % für Störungen des Sozialverhaltens. Im Selbstbericht wiesen 16.1 % klinisch bedeutsame Symptome für Depression, 15.1 % für Angst und 2.0 % für ADHS auf. Mit zunehmendem Alter nahmen Symptome von ADHS und Störungen des Sozialverhaltens ab, während internalisierende Auffälligkeiten zunahmen. Symptome von Depression und Angst traten häufiger bei Mädchen auf, Symptome von ADHS und Störungen des Sozialverhaltens häufiger bei Jungen. Eltern schätzten die internalisierenden Auffälligkeiten ihrer Kinder niedriger ein als diese selbst. Für die klinische Praxis sind eine störungsspezifische, entwicklungs- und geschlechtssensitive Diagnostik und Behandlung von großer Bedeutung.

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