Psycho-social wellbeing among in-school adolescents of Sri Lanka; prevalence of selected attributes and associated factors

Abstract

Background An optimum adolescence is associated with a psycho-social and cognitive development. These developments affects the interactions in the day-to-day activities of young people and have impacts on their lives beyond the adolescence age-group. The prevalence of psycho-social problems among adolescents are on the rise. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with the selected attributes of psycho-social well-being among 13 to 17-year in-school adolescents of Sri Lanka using the Global School Health Survey (GSHS). Methods GSHS, was a cross-sectional study conducted among 3,650 adolescents of aged 13-17, attending government schools. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Four selected psychosocial well-being outcomes (i.e. being bullied, loneliness, feeling anxious, suicidal ideation and practices) were assessed with questions for 11 potential associated factors of those. The sample was selected through a two-staged cluster sampling technique. Multivariable analysis was done with multiple logistic regression to determine the independent associated factors. Results Majority of the respondents belonged to the 13-15 age group (66.5%) and with 51.1% were females. More than one third of the participants (37.7%, 95%CI 36.1-39.5) had experienced bullying 30 days prior to the study. ‘Loneliness’ and ‘feeling anxious’ had been experienced by 9.0% (95%CI 8.0-10.0) and 4.7% (95%CI 3.9- 5.4), respectively. The prevalence of planning an attempt of suicide was 6.3%, while 6.6% had at least attempted suicide once. Multivariable analysis revealed that ‘lacked parental support’ and ‘being engaged in a fight’ were independently associated with being bullied, feeling lonely and considering attempting suicide. Mutual associations of the four outcomes with each other indicate that being bullied was significantly associated with loneliness and feeling anxious. In addition, loneliness was independently associated ‘considering an attempt of suicide’ (OR=2.9, 95%CI=2.0 to 4.3). Feeling anxious was also associated with considering attempting suicide (OR=3.4, 95%CI= 2.1 to 5.4). Conclusion This study demonstrated that the prevalence of psycho-social wellbeing is among school going adolescents is a major public health problem in Sri Lanka. School-based interventions to address these issues should be designed with the goal of increasing adolescents’ awareness of the measures of raising the psycho-social wellbeing.