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The risk and protective factors associated with depression and anxiety in a national sample of Irish adolescents

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 January 2015

B. Dooley ,
A. Fitzgerald Open the ORCID record for A. Fitzgerald [Opens in a new window]  and
N. M. Giollabhui
B. Dooley*
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Newman Building, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland Headstrong – The National Centre for Youth Mental Health, Dublin, Ireland
A. Fitzgerald
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Newman Building, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
N. M. Giollabhui
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Newman Building, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr B. Dooley, School of Psychology, University College Dublin, F202 Newman Building, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Objectives

The aim of this study is to examine the risk and protective factors associated with anxiety and depression in a representative sample of Irish adolescents.

Methods

Data used in this study were drawn from a subset of the My World Survey (MWS). The MWS-Second Level (MWS-SL) subset consists of a randomised sample of 72 schools, with a final sample of 6085 students. Outcome measures were depression and anxiety. Risk and protective factors included measures within the socio-demographic, psychosocial and risk-taking domains.

Results

One in three adolescents experienced elevated levels of depression and anxiety. Age, gender, maternal education, family composition, parental mental health as well as the experience of racism and bereavement were associated with elevated distress. Psychosocial factors associated with depression and anxiety included optimism, personal competence, life-satisfaction, self-esteem, anger, body dissatisfaction, family competence, maternal and paternal criticism, experiencing the break-up of a romantic relationship, school and peer connectedness as well as the availability of one good adult. Finally, engaging in substance misuse was found to increase the likelihood of anxiety and depression.

Conclusion

Since factors protecting and putting adolescents at risk of anxiety and depression exist at every level of the adolescent’s ecological system, the study supports a community-based approach to youth mental health.

Keywords

Adolescentsanxietydepressionprotectiverisk
Type
Original Research
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 32 , Issue 1: Special Issue: Youth Mental Health , March 2015 , pp. 93 - 105
Copyright
© College of Psychiatrists of Ireland 2015 

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