Social support, bullying, school-related stress and mental health in adolescence

Abstract

The current study aimed to examine the impact of social support, bullying and schoolrelated stress on both positive and negative aspects of mental health in adolescence. In addition, the possible buffering effects of social support related to school performance was investigated. The analyses were based on a cross-sectional survey of 1814 students between 15 and 21 years old from five upper secondary schools in Norway. Multiple hierarchical linear regression models with robust standard errors were estimated, and potential confounders were controlled for. Social support from friends and family, bullying and school-related stress were significantly associated with both wellbeing and anxiety and depression symptoms, with small to moderate effect sizes. However, the associations with the two aspects of mental health varied. Being bullied was strongest associated with anxiety and depression symptoms. Stress of interaction with teachers was weakly associated with anxiety and depression symptoms and unrelated to wellbeing. The findings provide no solid support for the buffering effects of social support related to stress of school performance on wellbeing, nor anxiety and depression symptoms.

Girls suffer: the prevalence and predicting factors of emotional problems among adolescents during upper secondary school in Norway

“…These findings support H4 and previous research (Sowislo and Orth, 2013;Yeoh et al, 2017). In addition, in support of H5, H6 and previous research (Alm and Låftman, 2018;Bearman and Stice, 2008;Låftman and Modin, 2012;Ringdal et al, 2020) appearance pressure and school stress had a direct and positive relationship with emotional problems. However, it was more surprising that these associations were somewhat stronger for boys compared with girls, even though the differences were small.…”

“…According to a study that compared the student reports on the perceptions of school pressure between 1994 and 2010, the level of perceived pressure did not increase during the period, except for a temporary uptake between 2002 and 2006. However, recent research indicates that the prevalence of adolescent experience of school stress has increased during the last decade (Bakken et al, 2018;Löfstedt et al, 2019), and that there is a clear association between school stress and emotional problems (Låftman and Modin, 2012;Ringdal et al, 2020).…”

“…• H6: School stress is directly and positively related with emotional problems (Låftman and Modin, 2012;Ringdal et al, 2020).…”

Bullying, social support and adolescents’ mental health: Results from a follow-up study

“…Bullying. The bullying scale was based on three items generated from the questionnaire for adolescents in the national Norwegian Survey on living Conditions 2012 [23] with additionally a new item assessing cyberbullying [17]. The bullying scale was pilot tested among adolescents in one upper-secondary school in Norway (n=479), with a response rate of 98% in the spring of 2016.…”

Do Gender Differences Affect the Psychological Well-being of High Schoolers in Thailand?

“…These schemas entail dysfunctional attitudes about self and the world, built upon negative experiences in people' s lives ( Beck, 1987) . Previous studies also revealed that adolescents with uncontrolled stress had poorer psychological well-being, and greater anxiety and depression symptoms ( Burger & Samuel, 2017;Hezomi & Nadrian, 2018;Ringdal et al, 2020).…”