Assessing Adolescents' Attitudes Toward Psychological Health: Cognitive, Emotional, and Behavioral Indicators

Adolescents today face increasing psychological challenges due to modern societal stressors, including uncertainty about the future, heightened anxiety, and emotional instability. These issues adversely affect their adaptability, self-regulation, and overall mental well-being. This study aims to identify key criteria and indicators that reflect adolescents' attitudes toward psychological health and assess their awareness of its significance. The research involved 112 students from Kamianets-Podilskyi Lyceums №1, №3, and №5. A multi-method approach was applied, including literature analysis, observation, questionnaires, interviews, and psychometric tools. Core evaluation criteria included cognitive (knowledge and values), emotional (self-assessment of mental states), and behavioral (healthy habits and risk avoidance) components. Findings indicate that adolescents' understanding of psychological health is often superficial, with many equating it solely to physical well-being. Emotional assessments revealed frequent signs of tension and instability, pointing to difficulties in self-regulation. Behaviorally, students showed limited motivation for personal growth and commonly practiced harmful habits, such as irregular sleep and excessive use of digital devices. Statistical analysis confirmed significant correlations between cognitive, emotional, and behavioral factors, highlighting their interdependence. Adolescents with greater cognitive awareness tended to demonstrate better emotional control and healthier behaviors. Overall, the study concludes that adolescents’ attitudes toward psychological health are insufficiently developed across all examined dimensions. These results emphasize the need for holistic educational and psychological interventions aimed at fostering a more comprehensive and balanced understanding of psychological well-being among youth.