| Young don't have access to trusted adults study |
Early findings from a massive national study on the mental health of young people show that 20 per cent feel they have nobody to talk to about their problems.
The My World research project by Headstrong also found more than a third did not have an adult they trusted always available to them.
The study, led by a team from University College Dublin and Headstrong, is examining 14 significant issues. They include risk and protective factors such as resilience, optimism, social connectedness, depression, anxiety, bullying, and drug and alcohol use, among others. It is the first of its kind to profile youth mental health in such a broad way.
Founding Director of Headstrong, Dr Tony Bates, said: In Ireland we have no information about the mental health of the population, no real solid information. We need to undertand what gives resiliance and what are the risk factors.
The pilot phase of data on 1,077 young people aged 12 to 18, from randomly selected schools, has completed. It found third-year and fifth-year at school had the greatest impact on mental health with higher levels of risk factors compared to other years. A fifth were in trouble with the law and one-in-two said they experienced moderate to severe stress.
Posted in Research and Education on 02 December 2009 |
