Z Sepehrmanesh, A Ahmadvand, P Yavari, R Saei,
Volume 4, Issue 2 (9-2008)
Abstract
Background & Objectives: Adolescence is an important period of human development. Developmental traits in this period could be predisposing to behavioral problems, delinquency substance abuse and mental disorder. So this survey was designed to study the mental health status of adolescence in Kashan .
Methods: This cross sectional study involved 400 adolescent from Kashan high schools. They were chosen through randomized stratified sampling. SCL-90-R Questionnaire was used. Demographic information such as age, sex, birth order, history of addiction and any mental disorders ,educational level, age of parent were also asked . Descriptive and analytic statistics were done by SPSS software.
Results: Overall 10% of the high school adolescents had mental disorders. Common psychopathology demonstrations were as follows: Paranoid thought, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, and aggression. There were significant relation between family history of addiction and mental disorder, history of physical abuse and age of adolescence with mental health (p<0/05). Total GSI in boys who were substance abuse was 1.9 while in boys who were not was 0.87 (p <0.05). There was not statically significant relation between total mean of GSI and gender however there were statistically significances between girls and boys in interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety and depression.
Conclusion: The responsible authorities should take steps in addressing these problems by initiating School Counseling Centers and also by including study material in the field of psychiatry and psychology in the adolescent students school curriculum.
