Student- and School-Level Factors Associated With Mental Health and Well-Being in Early Adolescence

Abstract

Objective: Adolescence is a key developmental window that may determine long-term mental health. As schools may influence mental health of students, this study aimed to examine the association of school-level characteristics with students' mental health over time.

Method: Longitudinal data from a cluster randomized controlled trial comprising 8,376 students (55% female; aged 11-14 years at baseline) across 84 schools in the United Kingdom were analyzed. Data collection started in the academic years 2016/2017 (cohort 1) and 2017/2018 (cohort 2), with follow-up at 1, 1.5, and 2 years. Students' mental health (risk for depression [Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale], social-emotional-behavioral difficulties [Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire]) and well-being (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale) and relationships with student- and school-level characteristics were explored using multilevel regression models.

Results: Mental health difficulties and poorer well-being increased over time, particularly in girls. Differences among schools represented a small but statistically significant proportion of variation (95% CI) in students' mental health at each time point: depression, 1.7% (0.9%-2.5%) to 2.5% (1.6%-3.4%); social-emotional-behavioral difficulties, 1.9% (1.1%-2.7%) to 2.8% (2.1%-3.5%); and well-being, 1.8% (0.9%-2.7%) to 2.2% (1.4%-3.0%). Better student-rated school climate analyzed as a time-varying factor at the student and school level was associated with lower risk of depression (regression coefficient [95%CI] student level: -4.25 [-4.48, -4.01]; school level: -4.28 [-5.81, -2.75]), fewer social-emotional-behavioral difficulties (student level: -2.46 [-2.57, -2.35]; school level: -2.36 [-3.08, -1.63]), and higher well-being (student level: 3.88 [3.70, 4.05]; school-level: 4.28 [3.17, 5.38]), which was a stable relationship.

Conclusion: Student-rated school climate predicted mental health in early adolescence. Policy and system interventions that focus on school climate may promote students' mental health.

Keywords: adolescence; mental health; multilevel; school; well-being.

Figure 1

Study Flowchart

Figure 2

Adolescents’ Mental Health Growth Curves Overall and by Gender Note:(A-I) Cutoff scores are based on the official scoring guidelines. Depression: low (0-15), at risk of depression (16-27), caseness (28-60). Social-emotional-behavioral difficulties: normal (0-14), borderline (15-17), high (18-19), very high (20-40). Well-being: probable mental health difficulties (0-40), possible mental health difficulties (41-44), average mental well-being (45-59), high well-being (60-70). Please note color figures are available online.