National Child and Adolescent Health Policies as Indicators of Adolescent Mental Health: A Multilevel Analysis of 30 European Countries
Publication date
2020-04-01
Authors
Hendriks, Anne M.
Bartels, Meike
Stevens, G.W.J.M.
Walsh, Sophie D.
Torsheim, Torbjørn
Elgar, Frank J.
Finkenauer, Catrin
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Document Type
Article
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Abstract
There is little evidence on the association between child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) policies and adolescent mental health. This study examined this association using data on indicators of adolescent mental health—aggressive behavior, life satisfaction, and psychosomatic symptoms—in 172,829 eleven- to fifteen-year-olds from 30 European countries in the 2013-2014 Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study. Individual records were linked to national-level policies for CAMH, controlling for national-level adult violence, adult well-being, and income inequality. Multilevel analyses revealed lower adolescent aggressive behavior in countries with more CAMH policies, even after controlling for other national-level indicators. Adolescent life satisfaction and psychosomatic symptoms were not associated with CAMH policies. Results may inform policy recommendations regarding investments in adolescent mental health.
Keywords
adolescent mental health, HBSC, national policies, Developmental and Educational Psychology, Social Sciences (miscellaneous), Sociology and Political Science, Life-span and Life-course Studies, SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being, SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities, SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Citation
Hendriks, A M, Bartels, M, Stevens, G W J M, Walsh, S D, Torsheim, T, Elgar, F J & Finkenauer, C 2020, 'National Child and Adolescent Health Policies as Indicators of Adolescent Mental Health : A Multilevel Analysis of 30 European Countries', Journal of Early Adolescence, vol. 40, no. 4, pp. 537-565. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272431619858413