Psychological Distress among Adolescents in Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, and Sri Lanka

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore psychological distress and examine the relationship between this distress and individual, family, and school factors among adolescents in four low-and middle-income countries (LAMICs) in Asia (i.e., Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, and Sri Lanka). Methods: A total of 4,098 adolescents attending public schools in the four LAMICs were surveyed as part of the Healthy School Development Project, which aimed to develop school capacity for improving (1) health among all school members and (2) the school environment through tailored school health programs. Psychological distress, family factors (i.e., parental understanding and monitoring, and parental tobacco and alcohol use), and school factors (i.e., having close friends, not bullied, school attendance, and health education) were assessed using self-report questionnaires. Data were collected from September to November in 2012 and 2013. Data analysis comprised descriptive statistics, Chi-squared testing, and logistic regression. Results: Over half of the participants were women (53.2%e64.1%), and 33.7% (in Sri Lanka) to 53.8% (in Laos) were aged older than 15 years. Approximately 32.9% reported the presence of psychological distress; moreover, 7.9%e13.2% reported suicidal ideation. Parental monitoring and being bullied were associated with psychological distress in all four countries. Conclusion: One-third of adolescents experience psychological distress across these four LAMICs, which poses a substantial public health issue. Adolescents can benefit from family and school-based approaches for screening, ameliorating, and preventing psychological distress.

Prevalence of Worry-Induced Sleep Disturbance and Associated Factors among a National Sample of In-School Adolescents in Lebanon

“…Several social-environmental factors (parental disrespect of privacy and in unadjusted analysis passive smoking, low peer support, low parental support, experience of hunger and school truancy) were found to be associated with WISD. These results are consistent with various previous investigations [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ] and call for programmes improving parental and peer support.…”

“…Psychosocial distresses associated with WISD or psychological distress may include loneliness [ 12 ], having no close friends [ 13 ], interpersonal violence [ 13 ], and bullying victimization [ 12 ]. Socio-environmental factors associated with WISD or psychological distress, may include experience of hunger [ 14 ], low peer and low parental support [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ] and school truancy [ 15 ]. Health risk behaviours associated with WISD or psychological distress, may include substance use [ 14 , 17 , 18 ], sedentary behaviour [ 8 , 19 ], frequent fast food consumption [ 20 ], frequent soft drink intake [ 20 ], fast food intake and sedentary behaviour [ 21 ], sexual behaviour [ 14 ] and injury [ 19 ].…”

Prevalence and associated factors of psychological distress among a national sample of in-school adolescents in Morocco

“…In line with former research findings [9,10,19,34], this survey showed that having social distress, such as having no close friends, bullying victimization, infrequently physically attacked and frequently involved in physical fighting increased the odds for psychological distress. Students exposed to interpersonal violence victimization may worry about further or future victimization increasing psychological distress.…”

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Psychological Distress among a National Sample of In-School Adolescents in Bhutan

“…The prevalence of moderate to severe PD (measured with the Kessler K-10) was 10.5% among school-going adolescents in India [6], and among adolescents in four Asian countries, PD was 32.9% (presence of any item: suicidal ideation, plans and suicide attempts, loneliness, sadness and anxiety) [7]. In a study among adolescents in Afghanistan, the prevalence of PD was 27.7% (≥2 items of no close friends, loneliness, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt) [8], and among adolescents in Iran, 17.7% (≥3 items of worthless, anxious, angriness, confusion, and insomnia) had PD [9].…”