Mental health of adolescents: variations by borderline intellectual functioning and disability

Abstract

Adolescence is a period of elevated stress for many young people, and it is possible that the challenges of adolescence are different for vulnerable groups. We aimed to document the mental health, emotional and behavioral difficulties and suicidal/self-harming behaviors among adolescents with borderline intellectual functioning (BIF) or a disability, compared to those with neither disability nor BIF. Data was drawn from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, a nationally representative Australian study. Participants were 2950 adolescents with complete data for Waves 3-6 (years 2008-2014), aged 14-15 years in 2014. Mental health items and self-harming/suicidal thought/behaviors were self-reported. Emotional-behavioral difficulties items came from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and were parent-, and adolescent-reported. Results of logistic regression analyses indicate that the emotional-behavioral difficulties of adolescents with either a disability or BIF, was worse than for those with neither disability nor BIF. Additionally, adolescents with a disability reported more symptoms of anxiety and depression, and were more likely to report self-harming/suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Adolescents with BIF or a disability are at higher risk of emotional-behavioral difficulties than those with neither disability nor BIF. There is some evidence that adolescents with a disability are at higher risk of anxiety, self-harming/suicidal thoughts and behaviors than adolescents without a disability.

An intersectional approach to understandings of mental health inequalities among men with disability

“…These results are also concordant with previous research that has demonstrated significant associations between having a disability and poorer mental health (Emerson, Llewellyn, Honey, & Kariuki, 2012; King et al, 2018; World Health Organization, 2011). These associations have been observed across the life-course, including among adolescents (King, Milner, Aitken, & Emerson, 2019; King et al, 2018) and adults (Kavanagh et al, 2015; Lucas, 2007; Turner & Noh, 1988).…”

Below Average Cognitive Ability—An under Researched Risk Factor for Emotional-Behavioural Difficulties in Childhood

“…A 2019 study using the same population cohort but at later waves of the study examined this association in the adolescent period and reported children with borderline intellectual functioning at age eight to nine had four times the odds (adjusted odds ratio 4.33, 95% confidence interval 2.84–6.62) of having abnormal emotional-behavioral difficulties scores at age 14/15 years [ 18 ]. Neither study examined the change in emotional-behavioral function over time for these groups.…”

“…There are few population-based studies which have examined this relationship. Studies which have focused specifically on those with below average or borderline intellectual ability suggest that these children are at increased risk of EBDs compared to their typically developing peers, though gaps exist in the literature in relation to the change in emotional-behavioral function over time (and its temporal relationship with cognitive ability and commencing formal education) [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. Real-time recognition of below average cognitive ability occurs rarely [ 8 , 10 ].…”

Employers’ attitudes towards labour inclusion of persons with borderline intellectual functioning (BIF): An empirical evidence

“…In a review of literature concerning BIF, in order to increase knowledge about the problems related to BIF in areas such as: academic and cognitive skills (Alloway, 2010;Szumski, Firkowska-Mankiewicz, Lebuda, & Karwowski, 2018), motor skills (Jeoung, 2018;Westendorp, Houwen, Hartman, & Visscher, 2011), social behavior (Embregts & van Nieuwenhuijzen, 2009;Louw, Kirkpatrick, & Leader, 2019), mental health (King et al, 2019;Seelen-de Lang et al, 2019), employment (Peltopuro et al, 2014;Robertson, Beyer, Emerson, Baines, & Hatton, 2019) and marriage (Atkinson, 2007;Hassiotis et al, 2007). Peltopuro et al (2014) concluded that there is a need for longitudinal and population-based studies focusing on persons with BIF.…”