Emotional and behavioral problems among Jordanian adolescents: Prevalence and associations with academic achievement

Abstract

Background: Mental health concerns are important for adolescent's general wellbeing and they can be associated with their ability to function effectively in various aspects of their daily life.Aim: The purpose of this study was to identify emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) among Jordanian adolescents and their association with academic outcomes.Methods: A descriptive correlational design was used. A total of 810 adolescents participated in the study and completed the demographic survey and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The grade point average (GPA) was used as an indicator of the academic achievement. The GPA was correlated with the SDQ scores to identify the relationship between the EBD and academic achievement.Results: About 11.7% of the participants had psychological and behavioral problems.The most commonly reported problems were emotional symptoms (14.2%), conduct problems (12.5%), and hyperactivity (7.5%). There was a significant difference in psychological and behavioral problems according to the participants' gender. There was a significant negative relationship between the SDQ scores and the GPA.Conclusion: There is a need to identify adolescents at risk of emotional and behavioral difficulties and refer them to appropriate care and support, which in turn would improve their academic achievement. K E Y W O R D Sacademic achievement, adolescents, emotional and behavioral problems, Jordan

The Relationship of Family and School Environments with Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Among Jordanian Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…The results of this study provide healthcare providers school nurses, families, teachers, and adolescents themselves with knowledge regarding adolescents’ depression, anxiety, and stress. In line with previous research, socioeconomic status of students, school and family experiences, and barriers to accessing mental health support and counseling services are likely to influence children's self-reported depression, anxiety, and stress ( Al-Rawashdeh et al, 2021 ; Atoum et al, 2018 ; Rayan et al, 2020 ; Shosha, 2016 ). Health professionals working with adolescents need to be aware of and responsive to the presence of depression, anxiety, and stress among the students so that early intervention might be offered to adolescents.…”

Escaping the inescapable: Risk of mental health disorder, somatic symptoms and resilience in Palestinian refugee children

“…Table 2 presents comparisons of participants’ SDQ scores with data collected from a large sample of non-refugee Jordanian children who participated in a similar study conducted by Atoum et al. (2018).…”

Análisis del rendimiento académico y la salud mental de los alumnos de educación secundaria según el acceso a los recursos tecnológicos

“…De este modo, las necesidades emocionales que caracterizan la adolescencia les hacen estar comprobando sus dispositivos digitales continuamente, provocando un efecto negativo en su RA (Rosen et al, 2013), dando relevancia al impacto en el RA tanto del acceso a recursos tecnológicos como del estado emocional y conductual de los menores. Atoum et al, (2018) obtuvieron cómo el RA disminuía cuando estaban presentes las dificultades de salud mental medidas en el SDQ en adolescentes jordanos.…”