Understanding adolescent mental health: the influence of social processes, doing gender and gendered power relations

Abstract

Despite a well-documented gender pattern in adolescent mental health, research investigating possible explanatory factors from a gender-theoretical approach is scarce. This paper reports a grounded theory study based on 29 focus groups. The aim was to explore 16-to 19-year-old students' perceptions of what is significant for mental health, and to apply a gender analysis to the findings in order to advance understanding of the gender pattern in adolescent mental health. Significant factors were identified in three social processes categories, including both positive and negative aspects: (1) social interactions, (2) performance and (3) responsibility. Girls more often experienced negative aspects of these processes, placing them at greater risk for mental health problems. Boys' more positive mental health appeared to be associated with their low degree of responsibility-taking and beneficial positions relative to girls. Negotiating cultural norms of femininity and masculinity seemed to be more strenuous for girls, which could place them at a disadvantage with regard to mental health. Social factors and processes (particularly responsibility), gendered power relations and constructions of masculinities and femininities should be acknowledged as important for adolescent mental health.

Living Close to the Edge

“…Explanatory models for the gendered patterns of mental ill health in young people remain relatively undeveloped, although diverse factors at the individual, group, and structural levels have been suggested such as educational pressure, peer hierarchies, financial stress, and high rates of youth unemployment (Hagquist, 1998;Lindström & Rosvall, 2014;Modin, Östberg, & Almquist, 2011;Strandh, Winefield, Nilsson, & Hammarström, 2014). However, within public health sciences and health research, there is a growing body of research that also highlights social and structural processes of gender as being related to the development of health problems throughout the course of life (Landstedt, Asplund, & Gillander Gådin, 2009;Maclean, Sweeting, & Hunt, 2010;. Gender is then defined as an important social determinant of health (A.…”

“…These external and gendered stressors include pressures on performance and educational success; the struggle for social value through physical appearance and corporeal capital; exposure to sexual harassment and violence; and difficulties accessing wider societal resources such as health services or the labor market (Frost, 2005;Harris, 2004;Salmela-Aro & Tynkkynen, 2012;. High levels of social responsibility taking among adolescent girls have also been indicated in combination with low adult and societal support (Gillander Gådin & Hammarström, 2000;Landstedt et al, 2009;. Thus, practicing contemporary young femininity seems to be tied to stress and high demands, along with insufficient support.…”

Conditions and strategies high school students living in lodgings experience as important and helpful for their well-being

“…In their everyday lives, balance, exemplified as stability in relationships with family and friends, was linked with feelings of well-being, while imbalance disrupted this state and called for action and change. According to Johansson, Brunnberg, and Eriksson (2007) and Landstedt (2010), adolescents perceive mental health as an emotional experience, described as “how you feel” in terms of self-esteem, stress and confidence. The emotional experiences are both positive and negative, such as feeling happy or unhappy.…”

“…According to Johansson et al (2007), the prerequisites for feeling well are relational, with family, friends and school being the three most important determinants of mental health. Influencing factors of adolescent mental health and well-being have been associated with circumstances of dynamic social processes, such as social interaction, performance and responsibility (Landstedt, 2010; Landstedt, Asplund, & Gillander Gådin, 2009). The social interaction process includes aspects such as good and supportive relationships with friends, family and teachers; respect; interaction in peer groups; risk of receiving disrespectful treatment; and assault.…”

“…Performance consists of achievements related to school and leisure activities, as well as expectations about appearance and behaviour, having both positive and negative impacts on well-being. Responsibility can be illustrated as a continuum, ranging from a low degree of responsibility, exemplified as ignoring demands for which one is expected to take responsibility, to a burden, exemplified as demands related to achievements, performance and relations to others (Landstedt et al, 2009). Adolescents strive to obtain balance in these social processes, according to Lipworth, Hooker, and Carter (2011), who argue that health and well-being involve a state of balance in life.…”