Introduction: Good mental health is the foundation of health that must be nurtured at all stages of life or age. The period of adolescence is very sensitive. This period is essential for the development and preservation of social and emotional habits that are important for mental well-being. It is also an important predicting factor of mental health in adulthood. It is estimated that 10–20% of children and adolescents worldwide have mental disorders. However, many cases remain undiagnosed and untreated. Purpose: The purpose of the thesis is to analyze the risk factors for the occurrence of mental disorders in adolescence and to research the preventive activities of the healthcare system in this area. Methods: In the thesis, we used the descriptive method of work. The literature was searched in bibliographic databases Medline, CINAHL, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and through the DiKUL remote access. The articles we selected related to mental disorders in adolescence, risk factors for developing mental disorders in adolescence, and school nurses. Results: Several factors influence the development of a mental disorder in an adolescent. It depends on the characteristics of an individual, social and economic circumstances, and environmental factors. The development of mental disorders is associated with higher mortality among adolescents and an increased risk of aggressive behavior, risky sexual behavior and sexually transmitted diseases, unplanned pregnancies, dropping out of school, and the abuse of illegal substances. In Slovenia, there is a well-designed network of mental health services. Cooperation between individual institutions could be improved in the future. Discussion and conclusion: A family medical history of a mental disorder, exposure to various substances (alcohol and drugs) in the prenatal period and the first year of life, dropping out of school, family problems, abuse, poor economic conditions, poverty, and other factors increase the risk of developing mental disorders in adolescence. It would be reasonable to introduce a school nurse. Her role would be to encourage good mental health and to provide early identification and support of those who already have a mental disorder. Since studies have shown poor knowledge of mental disorders and their symptoms among adolescents, health education work in this area would also be reasonable. This could help several adolescents to recognize the symptoms of mental disorders earlier.
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