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An Assessment of Austrian School Students’ Mental Health and Their Wish for Support: A Mixed Methods Approach

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  • Katja Haider

    (Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University for Continuing Education Krems, 3500 Krems, Austria)

  • Elke Humer

    (Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University for Continuing Education Krems, 3500 Krems, Austria)

  • Magdalena Weber

    (Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University for Continuing Education Krems, 3500 Krems, Austria
    Department of Organizational Psychology, Private University of Schloss Seeburg, 5201 Seekirchen am Wallersee, Austria)

  • Christoph Pieh

    (Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University for Continuing Education Krems, 3500 Krems, Austria)

  • Tiam Ghorab

    (Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University for Continuing Education Krems, 3500 Krems, Austria)

  • Rachel Dale

    (Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University for Continuing Education Krems, 3500 Krems, Austria)

  • Carina Dinhof

    (Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University for Continuing Education Krems, 3500 Krems, Austria)

  • Afsaneh Gächter

    (Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University for Continuing Education Krems, 3500 Krems, Austria)

  • Thomas Probst

    (Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University for Continuing Education Krems, 3500 Krems, Austria)

  • Andrea Jesser

    (Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University for Continuing Education Krems, 3500 Krems, Austria)

Abstract

The mental health of school students has been severely impacted by the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study used a mixed methods approach to assess students’ mental health and examine their wishes for support to improve their psychological well-being. We further investigated gender and age group differences in the amount of clinically relevant mental health problems and the roles that mental health and gender had on desired support. Between April and May 2022, a total of 616 Austrian students aged between 14 and 20 participated in a cross-sectional online survey (77.4% female; 19.8% male; 2.8% non-binary) assessing wishes for support regarding mental well-being and mental health indicators (depression: PHQ-9; anxiety: GAD-7; insomnia: ISI; stress: PSS-10; eating disorders: SCOFF; alcohol abuse: CAGE). A wish for support was expressed by 46.6% of the students. Qualitative content analysis revealed that the two most important categories of desired support types were “professional help” and “someone to talk to”. The group of students with a wish for support in general significantly more often showed clinically relevant depression, anxiety, insomnia, eating disorders, or high stress symptoms. Students that wished for professional help significantly more often exceeded the cut-off for clinically relevant depression, anxiety, and high stress. Those who wished for someone to talk to significantly more often exceeded the cut-off for clinically relevant eating disorders. The results indicate a great need for support for young people’s mental health problems and that this need is even more urgent for students.

Suggested Citation

  • Katja Haider & Elke Humer & Magdalena Weber & Christoph Pieh & Tiam Ghorab & Rachel Dale & Carina Dinhof & Afsaneh Gächter & Thomas Probst & Andrea Jesser, 2023. "An Assessment of Austrian School Students’ Mental Health and Their Wish for Support: A Mixed Methods Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-18, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:6:p:4749-:d:1090748
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mendolia, Silvia & Suziedelyte, Agne & Zhu, Anna, 2022. "Have girls been left behind during the COVID-19 pandemic? Gender differences in pandemic effects on children’s mental wellbeing," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 214(C).
    2. Marie-Pierre Tavolacci & Pierre Déchelotte & Joel Ladner, 2020. "Eating Disorders among College Students in France: Characteristics, Help-and Care-Seeking," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-11, August.
    3. Rachel Dale & Teresa O’Rourke & Elke Humer & Andrea Jesser & Paul L. Plener & Christoph Pieh, 2021. "Mental Health of Apprentices during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Austria and the Effect of Gender, Migration Background, and Work Situation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-11, August.
    4. Stefan Kaltschik & Christoph Pieh & Rachel Dale & Thomas Probst & Barbara Pammer & Elke Humer, 2022. "Assessment of the Long-Term Mental Health Effects on Austrian Students after COVID-19 Restrictions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-13, October.
    5. Maria Rosaria Gualano & Giuseppina Lo Moro & Gianluca Voglino & Fabrizio Bert & Roberta Siliquini, 2020. "Effects of Covid-19 Lockdown on Mental Health and Sleep Disturbances in Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-13, July.
    6. Rachel Dale & Sanja Budimir & Thomas Probst & Peter Stippl & Christoph Pieh, 2021. "Mental Health during the COVID-19 Lockdown over the Christmas Period in Austria and the Effects of Sociodemographic and Lifestyle Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-15, April.
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