Risk and Preventive Factors Associated with Childhood and Adolescent Emotional Disorders

This study examined the relationship between mental health and socio-demographic levels, household-marital status, educational attainment, substantial levels, family functioning, friendship scores, social aptitude scores, and professional/ non-professional help in a sample of children and adolescents. The Study analyzed the Mental Health of Children and Young People, in which Great Britain which FAD-GFS (the General Functioning Scale of the MacMaster Family Activity Device), Friendship Scores, Social Aptitude Scale, and the ICD-10 (The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems) were administered to 18,415 boys and girls representative of the total British population of children and adolescents aged 5 to 16 year-olds in 2004. Consistent with prior studies, marital status and substance misuse were strong predictors of emotional disorders among children and adolescents. In addition, relationship with friends, social aptitude scores, and professional/ non-professional help also significantly differentiated the likelihood of childhood and adolescent emotional disorders. Implications of these findings for buffering children and adolescents from mental health risks were discussed.