International and Spanish Findings in Scientific Literature about Minors’ Mental Health: Predictive Factors Using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire

Abstract

Minors’ mental health is a subject of high global concern. Understanding the factors that influence their mental health is essential to improving the health of future generations. In this study, an analysis of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire’s usefulness is carried out, as a validated tool, recognized in Spain and internationally, for the measurement of minors’ mental health. In turn, the influence of the variables of gender, age, and physical health, along with the occupational social class of parents on Spanish minors’ mental health, has been analyzed. Spanish minors with good physical health and of parents with middle and higher education, as well as in an occupational social class, are less likely to suffer mental health problems. On the other hand, it seems that internalizing symptoms are more likely in girls, and externalizing symptoms are more likely in boys. However, when a global measure of mental health is made without specific subscales, the effects of gender and age diverge greatly, according to the studies. Although there are examples of current research using the same measurement tool, there is still a need for many more international studies that are coordinated using the same methodology. This study identifies the factors which the international and Spanish scientific literature has revealed as being determinants in minors’ mental health. Finally, it is essential that the influence of these factors be assessed in the areas of primary care and mental health to facilitate better detection, intervention, or prevention of mental health problems in today’s children, as well as the children of future generations.

Family Structure is Associated with Mental Health and Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorders in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes

“…Analyses of the KiGGS showed>2–3 times higher rates of diagnosed and potential ADHD in children and adolescents from families with a low SES than in those with a high SES 29 . In our study, differences among individuals from families with various structures persisted despite adjustments for SES, indicating the existence of other influencing factors.…”

“…As confounders, variables affecting MH and/or family structure identified in previous studies [27][28][29][30] complemented by our considerations were included according to VanderWeele's disjunctive cause criterion [31].…”

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

“…Por un lado, las dificultades en salud mental pueden estar relacionada con el uso de los recursos digitales. El uso excesivo del móvil y/o el ordenador, puede conllevar una serie de problemas de salud mental y disminución del bienestar en alumnos de educación secundaria o a un bajo rendimiento, si su uso no es controlado por las familias (Dienlin & Johannes, 2020;Fajardo-Bullón et al, 2019;Halpern et al, 2021). De este modo, las dificultades en salud mental pueden estar también relacionadas con el RA.…”

“…Análisis del rendimiento académico y la salud mental de los alumnos de educación secundaria según el acceso a los recursos tecnológicos Cuestionario de Capacidades y Dificultades (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, SDQ, Goodman, 1997). Fue diseñado por Goodman en el Instituto de Psiquiatría de Londres en 1997, y desde entonces ha sido traducido a más de 66 idiomas y utilizado en España e internacionalmente en diversas investigaciones (Fajardo-Bullón et al, 2019), así como en las encuestas nacionales de salud (Ministerio de Sanidad, 2017), convirtiéndose en una herramienta de cribado de la salud mental reconocida a nivel mundial y mejorando herramientas clásicas como la Child Behavior Checklist (Goodman & Scott, 1999). Investigaciones previas , Ortuño, et al, 2016Savkina et al 2010), han obtenido evidencias de validez que apoyan la utilidad de este instrumento de medida para su uso en el contexto escolar y clínico.…”

Atención a la salud mental en adolescentes en conflicto con la ley: Una revisión comparativa de Brasil y España

“…La Organización Mundial de la Salud (2012) sugiere que aproximadamente el 20% de adolescentes de todo el mundo experimentan un problema de salud mental. Según Fajardo-Bullón et al (2019), más de la mitad de estos y estas adolescentes no reciben tratamiento especializado en salud mental.…”