Mental Health and Psychosocial Problems among Children and Adolescents in Jordan: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Introduction: In Jordan, mental health morbidity among children and adolescents is on the rise. Several studies in Jordan have assessed mental health issues and their associated factors among adolescents; however, there remains a lack of a collation of data regarding such issues. Objectives: To review the prevalence rates of mental health problems among children and adolescents in Jordan to understand the evidence base concerning psychiatric morbidity. Methods: The PubMed database, Cochrane Library, Virtual Health Library (VHL) Lilac, and APA PsycArticles were searched for literature published between January 2010 and May 2023. Studies were included if they were conducted on children and adolescents (≤19 years), were observational studies that reported prevalence data regarding psychosocial problems, and were studies conducted in Jordan. Results: The search yielded 211 records, of which 33 studies were assessed for eligibility and 28 met the inclusion criteria. The sample age ranged from 6–19 years. The prevalence rates ranged from 7.1% to 73.8% for depression, 16.3% to 46.8% for anxiety, 13.0–40.6% for ADHD, 11.7–55.2% for overall emotional and behavioral difficulties, 16.2–65.1% for PTSD, and 12–40.4% for eating disorders. Conclusions: The findings highlight the magnitude of mental health problems among children and adolescents and the heterogeneity of the results. Further studies are needed to investigate the prevalence of eating disorders among refugees, as well as sleeping disorders and substance use disorders among all adolescents.

Assessing Stigma towards Mental Illness in Relation to Demographics Attitudes and Past Experiences among Pharmacy Students in a Jordanian University Sample

“…The results revealed an overall elevated level of stigma towards neuropsychiatric disorders, with 58.4% of the sample participants exhibiting elevated stigma scores. Among the assessed factors, four were found to be associated with high stigma scores; including (1) having been prescribed a neuropsychiatric drug before; (2) believing that pharmacists should have a role in mental healthcare; (3) believing that pharmacists are qualified enough to provide mental health support; and (4) willingness to seek help from a pharmacist for a mental health disorder. This, in turn, indicates an association of participants' stigma towards mental illness with perceptions towards the qualification of and confidence in pharmacists.…”

“…According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one in five adults residing in the United States live with a mental illness and one in 25 suffers from a serious mental disorder, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression [2]. The prevalence of mental disorders is also found elevated among children and adolescents in Jordan [3]. Furthermore, the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) had a major impact on the global prevalence of mental health issues, with significantly higher figures compared to reports prior to the pandemic [4].…”

The Effects of Resilience Training on Mental Health Among Students

“…Mental disorders affect nearly 20% of children and adolescents worldwide and are linked to discrimination, social injustice, poor educational outcomes, chronic diseases, and traumatic behaviors (1,2). Moreover, the onset of most mental disorders in adults have been revealed at the age of 14, and occurs during adolescence, which is recognized as the most vulnerable period for such conditions (3).…”

The Provision of Psychosocial Support to Students in Jordan: Teachers' Knowledge, Attitudes, Skills, Practices, and Perceived Barriers

“…Prevalence rates among children and adolescents were reported to be between 7.1% and 73.8% for depression, 16.3% and 46.8% for anxiety, and 11.7% and 55.2% for overall emotional and behavioral problems. 4 While it is important to address the high prevalence of mental disorders in children and adolescents and to implement mental health interventions within the formal health system, it is also critical to recognize that not all children and adolescents receive the specialized care they need. 5 In addition, several contextual factors could influence the utilization of mental health services among children and adolescents, including their socioeconomic status, the availability of screening programs, stigma, and others.…”