Sammenheng mellom sosial angst og psykiske vansker blant barn og unge i ulike sosiale lag

Mål med studien: Psykiske vansker hos barn kan avdekkes allerede i småskolen. For noen av disse barna er også sosial angst et stort problem. Mange av helseproblemene vi ser i dag, rammer i større grad de med lavere sosioøkonomisk status. Formålet med denne studien var å undersøke sammenhenger mellom sosial angst og selvrapportert mental helse hos barn, sett i forhold til foreldrenes sosioøkonomiske status. Materiale og metode: Data fra helseundersøkelsen: «Helseprofil for barn og unge i Akershus 2002» er benyttet. Denne rapporten baseres på en tverrsnittstudie som tar for seg ulike deler av fysisk og mental helse hos skoleelever i alderen 8 -16 år. I denne studien er barn (10-13 år, N = 9707) og foreldre (N = 8603) ved 5-7 trinn inkludert. Responsraten for barna var 87, mens foreldrenes var 78 %. I undersøkelsen var mental helse målt ved hjelp av «Strenghts and Difficulties Questionnaire» (SDQ), som i denne studien benytter selvrapporterte data. Sosial angst ble kartlagt i en egen del av foreldrenes spørreskjema basert på «Development and Well-being Assessment» (DAWBA, DSM-4). Sosioøkonomisk status var relatert til foreldrenes utdanningsnivå. Eventuelle medierende effekt fra vennestøtte, foreldrestøtte og bruk av helsetjenester ble også undersøkt. Alle analysene ble gjort ved hjelp av multivariat logistisk regresjon, hvor SPSS versjon 20 er benyttet. Resultater: For tydelig sosial angst ser vi en sterk sammenheng med psykiske vansker i gruppen med lav sosioøkonomisk status. I gruppen med høyt utdannede foreldre blir ingen sammenheng målt. Vi finner ingen signifikant sammenheng mellom sosial angst og vanskenes innvirkning, hverken for høy eller lav utdanning. Heller ingen sammenheng mellom sosial angst og eksternaliserende vansker ble avdekket, mens sammenhengen var sterk når internaliserende vansker ble målt (i gruppen representerer lav utdanning). Vi fant også sosiale forskjeller i problemområdene relatert til sosial angst. For problemer som omhandler prestasjoner ble signifikante forskjeller funnet, mens problemer rettet mot sosiale interaksjoner ikke viser noen forskjell. Vennestøtte, foreldrestøtte og bruk av helsetjenester var sterkt korrelert med psykiske vansker, men viste ingen medierende effekt av betydning. Konklusjon: I denne studien ser vi at sosiale forskjeller er tydelig innenfor områder av sosial angst og mental helse hos barn. For barn med tydelig sosial angst kan dette tyde på at sosial posisjon har betydning for hvordan disse problemene håndteres. I rike land har sosioøkonomisk status sammenheng med en rekke verdier. Videre forskning vil bidra til mer kunnskap om sosial angst og mental helse i ulike sosiale lag. Objectives of the study: Mental health disorders often occur early in lifetime, and can be captured already in primary school. For some of these children social anxiety also is a considerable problem. Many of these health issues occur more frequently in disadvantaged social groups. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between social anxiety and mental health problems in different socioeconomic groups. Material and methods: The study is based on data from the health profile study for children and adolescents in Akershus, 2002. This health survey is a cross-sectional investigation, representing physical, mental and social health for children aged 8 – 16 years, from 3 to 10 school grade. The response rate was 87 % for children and 78 % for parents in survey. The present study includes early adolescents aged 10 – 13 years (N = 9707) and their parents (N = 8603). The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to measure children mental health and eventual impact of this. For assessing social anxiety problems, questions obtained from the «Development and Well-being Assessment» (DAWBA, DSM-4) were used. Parental education level was used as a measure for children socioeconomic status. The results were controlled for eventual mediating factors as peer support, parent support, and use of health services (Educational psychological services and psychologist/ psychiatrist). Information about children mental health (SDQ), peer and parent support was obtained from the children questionnaire. For determining social anxiety problems, socioeconomic status and use of health services parent questionnaire was used. All statistical analysis was conducted using the SPSS version 20.0 software package. The models were tested by using logistic regression. Results: A strong relationship between significant social anxiety and mental health problems (SDQ symptom score) was measured in the children group representing low parental educational level. For children in the group representing highly educated parents, no significant relationship was provided. We found associations between social anxiety and internalizing problems, but no significant association related to externalizing problems. For the impact of mental health problems, no significant findings were provided in any of the groups. Peer support, parent support and use of health services were strongly related to mental health problems, but did not provide any particular mediating effects. Investigating the different areas of social anxiety problems, different results were revealed in the two educational groups. In situations related to performing, the children in lower socioeconomic status group were more inhibited. For social interactions no difference between the groups was measured. Conclusion: This study reveals a relationship between social anxiety and mental health problems in children representing parents in lower socioeconomic groups. In many western communities the impact of social position are comprehensive. Further research is needed to investigate social anxiety and mental health, and the impact of socioeconomic status.

Objectives of the study: Mental health disorders often occur early in lifetime, and can be captured already in primary school. For some of these children social anxiety also is a considerable problem. Many of these health issues occur more frequently in disadvantaged social groups. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between social anxiety and mental health problems in different socioeconomic groups. Material and methods: The study is based on data from the health profile study for children and adolescents in Akershus, 2002. This health survey is a cross-sectional investigation, representing physical, mental and social health for children aged 8 – 16 years, from 3 to 10 school grade. The response rate was 87 % for children and 78 % for parents in survey. The present study includes early adolescents aged 10 – 13 years (N = 9707) and their parents (N = 8603). The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to measure children mental health and eventual impact of this. For assessing social anxiety problems, questions obtained from the «Development and Well-being Assessment» (DAWBA, DSM-4) were used. Parental education level was used as a measure for children socioeconomic status. The results were controlled for eventual mediating factors as peer support, parent support, and use of health services (Educational psychological services and psychologist/ psychiatrist). Information about children mental health (SDQ), peer and parent support was obtained from the children questionnaire. For determining social anxiety problems, socioeconomic status and use of health services parent questionnaire was used. All statistical analysis was conducted using the SPSS version 20.0 software package. The models were tested by using logistic regression. Results: A strong relationship between significant social anxiety and mental health problems (SDQ symptom score) was measured in the children group representing low parental educational level. For children in the group representing highly educated parents, no significant relationship was provided. We found associations between social anxiety and internalizing problems, but no significant association related to externalizing problems. For the impact of mental health problems, no significant findings were provided in any of the groups. Peer support, parent support and use of health services were strongly related to mental health problems, but did not provide any particular mediating effects. Investigating the different areas of social anxiety problems, different results were revealed in the two educational groups. In situations related to performing, the children in lower socioeconomic status group were more inhibited. For social interactions no difference between the groups was measured. Conclusion: This study reveals a relationship between social anxiety and mental health problems in children representing parents in lower socioeconomic groups. In many western communities the impact of social position are comprehensive. Further research is needed to investigate social anxiety and mental health, and the impact of socioeconomic status.