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Gender and secular trends in adolescent mental health over 24 years – The role of school-related stress

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  • Högberg, Björn
  • Strandh, Mattias
  • Hagquist, Curt

Abstract

Increasing levels of psychosomatic symptoms, and other mental health problems, among adolescents, and especially among girls, have been reported across various countries. The “educational stressors hypothesis” states that this trend can be explained by an increasing amount of stressors in the school environment. This study tests this hypothesis, using repeated cross-sectional data, between the years 1993–2017, from the Health Behaviours of School-aged Children (HBSC) survey. Regression and decomposition techniques are used to investigate the role of school stress for trends in psychosomatic symptoms, and for gender differences in symptoms.

Suggested Citation

  • Högberg, Björn & Strandh, Mattias & Hagquist, Curt, 2020. "Gender and secular trends in adolescent mental health over 24 years – The role of school-related stress," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:250:y:2020:i:c:s027795362030109x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.112890
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    2. Tommy Haugan & Sally Muggleton & Arnhild Myhr, 2021. "Psychological distress in late adolescence: The role of inequalities in family affluence and municipal socioeconomic characteristics in Norway," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(7), pages 1-25, July.
    3. Dario Lipari & Bianca Maria Bocci & Cesare Rivieri & Elena Frongillo & Antonella Miserendino & Andrea Pammolli & Claudia Maria Trombetta & Ilaria Manini & Rita Simi & Giacomo Lazzeri, 2023. "Trend of Correlations between Psychological Symptoms and Socioeconomic Inequalities among Italian Adolescents: Cross-Sectional Study from 2006 to 2018 in Tuscany Region," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(15), pages 1-11, July.
    4. Björn Högberg & Solveig Petersen & Mattias Strandh & Klara Johansson, 2021. "Determinants of Declining School Belonging 2000–2018: The Case of Sweden," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 157(2), pages 783-802, September.
    5. Högberg, Björn, 2021. "Educational stressors and secular trends in school stress and mental health problems in adolescents," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    6. Smyth, Emer, 2024. "The Changing Social Worlds of 13-year-olds," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS178.
    7. Jelena Maricic & Sila Bjelic & Katarina Jelic, 2023. "The Role of Self-Compassion and Attributions in the Mental Health of Older Adolescents amid the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(21), pages 1-17, October.
    8. Jose Marquez & Louise Lambert & Megan Cutts, 2023. "Geographic, Socio-Demographic and School Type Variation in Adolescent Wellbeing and Mental Health and Links with Academic Competence in the United Arab Emirates," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(2), pages 797-836, April.
    9. Emily Widnall & Lizzy Winstone & Ruth Plackett & Emma A. Adams & Claire M. A. Haworth & Becky Mars & Judi Kidger, 2022. "Impact of School and Peer Connectedness on Adolescent Mental Health and Well-Being Outcomes during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Panel Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-15, June.
    10. Michael Vallely & Anne Nolan & Emer Smyth, 2026. "Trajectories of Mental Health Difficulties from Childhood To Adolescence: Evidence from Growing Up in Ireland," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 19(1), pages 445-469, February.
    11. Cashman, Matthew & Strandh, Mattias & Högberg, Björn, 2023. "Have performance-based educational reforms increased adolescent school-pressure in Sweden? A synthetic control approach," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    12. Jung, Dain & Kim, Jun Hyung & Kwak, Do Won, 2024. "Who Benefits from Single-Sex Schooling? Evidence on Mental Health, Peer Relationships, and Academic Achievements," IZA Discussion Papers 17330, IZA Network @ LISER.
    13. Oberle, Eva & Ji, Xuejun Ryan & Molyneux, Tonje & Guhn, Martin & Forer, Barry & Thomson, Kimberly & Alkawaja, Maram & Kassan, Anusha & Gadermann, Anne, 2025. "Mental well-being trends and school-based protective factors among adolescents in British Columbia (2015–2022): A population-based study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 380(C).
    14. Benti Geleta Buli & Peter Larm & Kent W Nilsson & Charlotta Hellström-Olsson & Fabrizia Giannotta, 2024. "Trends in mental health problems among Swedish adolescents: Do school-related factors play a role?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(3), pages 1-15, March.
    15. Anne Nolan & Smyth, Emer, 2021. "Risk and protective factors for mental health and wellbeing in childhood and adolescence," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS120.

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