Young people’s perspectives on the symptoms asked for in the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children survey

Abstract

Although young people in Sweden report good health, there is an increase in self-reported symptoms. However, there is uncertainty regarding what these symptoms signify. Using interviews with 15-year-olds, this research examines what the symptoms asked for in the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children survey represent. The analyses takes inspiration from a performative understanding of surveys. It demonstrates that while problems such as feeling low and nervousness are reported as poor mental health, some participants refer them to deep-seated problems and others to everyday challenges. The results points to the necessity of reporting from symptom scales with caution to avoid the pathologisation of everyday problems.

Life Challenges and Barriers to Help Seeking: Adolescents’ and Young Adults’ Voices of Mental Health

“…Youth may need to be exposed to setbacks and experiences of failure, and not try to avoid them, in order to develop independent coping strategies. In accordance with Wickström and Kvist Lindholm [5], youth, as well as adults, need constant reminders that it is a part of life to feel sad, angry, or upset from time to time, and that these feelings are not harmful and do not necessarily indicate mental ill-health. Children and youth that are able to use a broad range of strategies in an appropriate way to face demanding situations are likely to show a more adaptive psychological functioning than young people who use fewer coping strategies [54,55].…”

“…In addition to previous research, this study uses a nonclinical sample to explore broader perceptions of everyday life challenges among adolescents and young adults without an outspoken mental illness. The increasing number of young people reporting mental health problems and stress is a major concern that needs to be taken seriously [ 5 ]. The results of this study may guide actions taken to promote mental health and prevent mental ill-health on a broader level.…”

“…The long-term effects of the pandemic on mental health are under research [ 4 ]. The idea of a mental health crisis among young people is now firmly rooted in society and has been accepted by the public, politicians, officials, and practitioners who deal with young people’s health [ 5 ]. However, the state of mental health among young people is not clear-cut.…”

“…While self-reported mental ill-health is increasing both nationally and internationally, levels of well-being are stable and serious psychiatric diagnoses have not increased significantly [ 6 , 7 ]. Recent research shows that 15-year-olds’ understanding of mental health (e.g., what it is, how it is manifested and where the distinction between mental health and everyday challenges should be drawn) is complex and variant [ 5 ]. Many young people also report a lack of willingness and knowledge of where to seek help if needed.…”

Multiple health complaints in preadolescence and hospital contacts during adolescence: a prospective cohort study

“…There is still large uncertainty regarding what MHC and the underlying symptoms signify. Qualitatively, children and adolescents interpret them as being due to a myriad of factors, ranging from bodily discomfort to severe mental illness 10 . In the general population, this heterogeneity makes it premature to commit to a given causal model.…”