Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Youth mental illness'

Despite the trends showing a reduction in the use and abuse of drugs among American adolescents, the prevalence rates remain high. There is also comorbidity of mental illnesses among the adolescents using drugs. The aim of this study was to determine the presence and nature of the association between the use and abuse of marijuana and alcohol and mental illnesses among the American adolescent population. The noted comorbidities and the hypothesized association between the substance abuse and mental illnesses were explained using the expectancy theory. Using a quantitative research methodology, secondary data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health for 2014 and 2015 were analyzed. Data analysis yielded a positive but weak association between use and abuse of alcohol and marijuana through proxies such as marijuana use in the past month (p = 0.01), first use of marijuana ( p = 0.016), alcohol use disorder in the past year (p = 0.002), alcohol dependence in the past year (p = 0.001), and the occurrence of mental illnesses. The association was statistically significant in all proxies except alcohol use in the past month. F-test results were also statistically significant (p = 0.022, R² = 0.242). The findings showed that adolescents who used marijuana and alcohol were more likely to develop mental illnesses. It is recommended for relevant federal and state governments and public health agencies to develop social programs to address the two issues inclusively rather than exclusively.

Det psykiska hälsoläget har förbättrats totalt sett i befolkningen de senaste åren, men trots det är detfortfarande oroväckande många unga som upplever att de mår psykiskt dåligt. Ett fenomen som ökat under senare tid och som kopplats samman med psykisk ohälsa, är olika former av självskadehandlingar. Det har tidigare visats att andra typer av riskbeteenden sprids i populationer genom att individer influeras av varandra. Bakgrunden till den här studien var en tanke om att ökningen av självskadehandlingar kan vara ett resultat av en form av smittspridning snarare än enbart ett tecken på försämrad psykisk hälsa. Som primär kanal för spridningen av beteendet undersöktes Internet eftersom mycket av ungdomars sociala liv utspelar sig på den arenan. Studien grundar sig på en enkät (n=192) till gymnasieelever. Syftet var att undersöka hur väl ungdomar kände till fenomenet självskadebeteende samt hur de kommunicerade med och influerades av sina vänner. Resultatet visade att mer än hälften av ungdomarna kommit i kontakt med självskadebeteende i form av bilder eller skriftliga inlägg på Internet och 86 % av tjejerna och 71 % av killarna kände dessutom till minst en person i sin närhet som medvetet skadat sig själv. Eftersom ungdomar exponeras av beteendet från många håll är det rimligt att anta att individer som upplever någon form av psykisk stress kan influeras av andra att prova ett självdestruktivt beteende. Beteendet förefaller mer utbrett än vad som skulle kunna förväntas om en svårare psykisk ohälsa var den enda orsaken. Att tidigt arbeta med självkänsla och se till att barn och unga har trygga sociala nätverk runt omkring sig kan vara ett sätt att förse dem med den motståndskraft som behövs för att stå emot negativa influenser från omgivningen.

The mental health status has improved in the overall population recent years although it is still worrying many young people who feel that they have a poor psychological health. A phenomenon that has increased recently, and are linked to mental illness, are various forms of self-injury acts. It has previously been shown that other types of risk behaviours spread in populations by individuals influenced by each other. The background of this study was to examine whether the increase in selfinjury acts can be the result of a form of contagion, rather than merely a sign of impaired mental health. Since a lot of young people's social life takes place on the Internet, this was the arena which was investigated. The study is based on a survey (n = 192) and was designed to examine how well young people were aware of the phenomenon of self-injury, and how they communicated with and how they were influenced by their friends. The results showed that more than half of the participants had been in contact with self-injury such as pictures or written messages on the Internet. Among the respondents 86% of the girls and 71% of the boys also knew at least one person who deliberately harmed themselves. Since adolescents are exposed to this behaviour from many directions, it is reasonable to assume that individuals who experience some form of mental stress may be influenced by others to try self-destructive behaviour. The behaviour seems to be more prevalent than would be expected if a severer mental illness was the solely cause. Early work on self-esteem and ensuring children and young people have a safe social network around them can be a way to provide them with the resilience needed to withstand the negative influences from their surroundings.

In recent times statistical findings suggesting a deteriorating mental health among teenagers, have been published. Not only did I find the lack of an all-inclusive analysis problematic, but also the fact that the studies themselves where often insufficient. Thus my purpose has been to chart these statistical studies, and then scrutinize the results.My method has been inspired by critical theory, where an interpretive starting point, self-reflection, and the idea that man and society interacts as a whole, is of great importance. Aside from the above mentioned studies, I have also employed secondary empirical data from TV, newspapers and the Internet. My own experience as a social worker has also been an important resource for this paper. The results from the statistical studies are analysed through theories regarding cultural modernisation, in particular Thomas Ziehe's ideas about cultural release of constraints, and Aaron Antonovsky's ideas concerning the importance of SOC (sense of coherence). Rapports from the Welfare Commission pertaining to developments in the Swedish welfare during the 1990's are also central for this thesis. I have found that the results from the statistical studies could be the outcome of other factors than mental illness per se - such as the play down in society concerning some of the taboos associated with it. This means that today's youth have easier access to psychiatric care (in so far as they are more willing to talk about psychiatric problems) and therefore necessarily don't feel worse than preceding age groups. Having said that, my conclusion is that today's youth is more inclined to mental illness than teenagers 10-15 years ago. My belief is that this is due to cultural modernisation and growing shortcomings within the social welfare. Cultural modernisation can make for an arduous upbringing, and a society where traditional norms are being replaced by everlasting possibilities, do put a fair amount of strain on the young individual. In my final discussion I'll conclude that SOC, which was previously created collectively, is now an undertaking of the sole individual. Therefore, I mean, today's teenagers are in the need of sufficient tools in their identity work. Naturally these can be found within the perpetual bombardment of information and symbols that surrounds them, but this should not diminish the importance of an everyday contact with sensible grownups, who understands the need to counterbalance a manipulative market.

Friendship has consistently been found to act as a buffer against psychological maladjustment for healthy youth and youth experiencing difficulties including parental divorce and natural disasters. Less known is the role of friendship may have for females coping with a chronic health problem. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to evaluate the health factors and friendship precursors that may influence friendship, and in turn, how those friendships may predict psychosocial adjustment. A sample of chronically ill females (N = 30) was compared to a control group of healthy females (N = 45) on measures of opportunities for social interaction, similarity to their best friend, social capability, friendship quality, and psychological adjustment. Results revealed that health condition and friendship precursors were not associated with friendship quality. However, higher friendship quality was predictive of fewer externalizing symptoms for healthy girls. Additionally, positive parent relationships predicted fewer internalizing symptoms for both groups of females. Notably, chronically ill girls noted their friendships were higher in punishment and lower in companionship than healthy girls. Further assessment, including objective measures, will elucidate the beneficial processes of friendships and parent-child relationships that buffer youth from maladjustment.