Duševno zdravje osnovnošolcev v času Covida-19

Katrašnik, Nika (author), Pelicon, Sara (author), Gregorčič Mrvar, Petra (mentor), Mažgon, Jasna (co-mentor)

V magistrski nalogi preučujemo povezavo med družino, šolo, vrstniki in tveganimi vedenji ter duševnim zdravjem mladostnikov med Covidom-19. Poleg tega preverjamo tudi njihovo samooceno (duševnega) zdravja in počutja ter njihov odnos do telesa in diet v enakem obdobju. V teoretičnem delu naloge smo opredelili duševno zdravje nasploh, pregledali formalni okvir in se natančneje osredotočili na duševno zdravje mladostnikov. Hkrati smo tudi predstavili značilnosti mladostniškega obdobja in opozorili na težave in izzive, ki jih prinaša odraščanje. V nadaljevanju smo natančneje opredelili vpliv družinskega, izobraževalnega in prostočasnega okolja na duševno zdravje mladostnikov ter kako lahko preventivno in kurativno delujemo v teh okoljih. V empiričnem delu naloge smo predstavili rezultate empirične raziskave, v kateri smo iskali odgovore na naslednje vsebinske sklope raziskovalnih vprašanj: 1) duševno zdravje in družina; 2) duševno zdravje in šola; 3) duševno zdravje in vrstniki; 4) tvegana vedenja in 5) samoocena (duševnega) zdravja in počutja ter odnos do telesa in diet. V sklopu duševnega zdravja in družine raziskava kaže, da se večina mladostnikov strinja s tem, da jim družina nudi čustveno pomoč in podporo, ki ju potrebujejo. Dokazali smo, da se večina mladostnikov v družini o pomembnih stvareh pogovarja. Slednji so tudi poročali, da jih težave v manjši meri vznemirijo ali spravijo v stisko. Iz izsledkov raziskave je razvidna pomembnost komunikacije med starši in mladostniki. V sklopu duševnega zdravja in šole smo dokazali, da mladostniki, ki so bolj zaskrbljeni, izražajo tudi bolj negativna čustva do šole oz. jim šola ni všeč. Pokazali smo, da je nervoza najpogostejši simptom, ki se v zadnjih 6 mesecih več kot enkrat tedensko pojavlja pri mladostnikih, ki so zaradi dela za šolo pod pritiskom. Dalje smo dokazali, da mladostniki, ki menijo, da jih sošolci ali učitelji sprejemajo take, kot so, manj poročajo o težavah na področjih: čustva, zbranost, obnašanje. V sklopu duševnega zdravja in vrstnikov smo ugotovili, da je bil pomembno višji odstotek tistih osnovnošolcev, ki se s prijatelji lahko pogovorijo o težavah in v zadnjem tednu niso bili osamljeni. Dokazali smo tudi, da več mladostnikov, ki menijo, da jih imajo vrstniki radi, ne poroča o občutkih depresivnosti. Prav tako je več takih mladostnikov, ki se na prijatelje lahko zanesejo, če gre kaj narobe in hkrati prostega časa ne preživljajo sami. V sklopu tveganih vedenj raziskava kaže, da več mladostnikov, ki svoje zdravje označujejo kot slabo, kadi. Kadi tudi večina tistih mladostnikov, ki je bila v zadnjih 6 mesecih nervozna. Nadalje se je pokazalo, da mladostniki, ki konopljo uporabljajo, slabše ocenjujejo svoje fizično in psihično zdravje. V sklopu raziskovanja samoocene (duševnega) zdravja in počutja ter odnosa do telesa in diet mladostnikov raziskava kaže, da se med mladostniki, tako med fanti kot med dekleti, najpogosteje pojavlja nervoza, sledita ji razdražljivost/slaba volja in nespečnost. Pokazalo se je, da na splošno psihosomatske simptome pogosteje doživljajo dekleta v primerjavi s fanti. Rezultati kažejo, da je več kot petina mladostnikov že razmišljala o tem, da bi naredila samomor. Ugotovili smo, da o samomoru več razmišljajo tisti mladostniki, ki niso zadovoljni s svojim življenjem. Nazadnje smo ugotovili, da je med tistimi mladostniki, ki jih vrstniki zafrkavajo ali ustrahujejo, več takih, ki so na dieti ali počnejo karkoli, da bi shujšali.

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: Covid-19, duševno zdravje, mladostniki, družina, šola, prijatelji, tvegana vedenja
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Year: 2023
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-147465
• Publication date in RUL: 05.07.2023

Secondary language

• Language: English
• Title: The mental health of elementary school children during Covid-19

Abstract

In the master's thesis, we examine the relationship between family, school, peers, risk behaviours and mental health in adolescents during Covid-19. In addition, we examine their self-assessment of mental health, well-being and attitude towards their bodies and diets during the pandemic. In the theoretical part of the thesis, we define mental health in general and review the formal legislation. More specifically the thesis will focus on adolescent mental health and provide unique aspects of the adolescent period. We will point out the novelties and difficulties that the transition into adulthood brings. Additionally, we elaborate on the impact of family, educational and leisure environments on adolescents' mental health. Furthermore, we discuss how we can implement preventive and curative practices in these environments. In the empirical part of the thesis, we will present the results of an empirical study that focused on five research areas related to adolescent mental health. These areas are 1) mental health and family; 2) mental health and school; 3) mental health and peers; 4) risk behaviours; and 5) self assessment of mental health, well-being and attitude towards body and diet. In the context of mental health and family, the results show that most adolescents agree that their family provides the emotional help and support they need. The importance of communication between parents and adolescents is evident from the survey findings. Our research indicates that a majority of adolescents discuss important issues with their families. They are less likely to report that problems upset or distress them compared to those who do not engage in discussion with family members. In the context of mental health and school, we have shown that more anxious adolescents also express more negative feelings towards school or dislike school altogether. We have shown that nervousness is the most common symptom, occurring more than once a week over the last 6 months in adolescents who are under pressure from work related to school. We have also shown that adolescents who feel that their classmates or teachers accept them as they are are less likely to report problems in the following areas: emotional, behavioural and concentration. In the context of mental health and peers, we found that there was a significantly higher percentage of primary school children who were able to talk to their peers about their problems and had not been lonely in the previous week. We also showed that more adolescents who feel that their peers like them, do not report feeling depressed. We have found that more adolescents can rely on their friends when things go wrong and at the same time do not spend their free time alone. In the context of mental health and risk behaviours, the survey shows that more adolescents who describe their health as poor, smoke. The majority of adolescents who have been nervous in the last 6 months also smoke. Furthermore, adolescents who use cannabis are shown to rate their physical and mental health worse. In the context of exploring adolescents' self-assessment of mental health, well-being and attitude towards their bodies and diets, the study shows that nervousness is the most common among adolescents, both boys and girls, followed by irritability and insomnia. In general, psychosomatic symptoms are experienced more often by girls than boys. The results show that more than a fifth of adolescents have considered suicide. We found that adolescents who are not satisfied with their lives are more likely to consider suicide. Finally, we found that those adolescents who are teased or bullied by their peers are more likely to engage in dieting or other weight-loss efforts.

• Keywords: Covid-19, mental health, adolescents, family, school, peers, risked behaviour