Associations between psychosocial stress in early and middle adolescence with emotional and behavioral problems one year later / 中国学校卫生

ABSTRACT

Objective@#This study explored the predictive effects of psychological stress in early and middle puberty on subsequent emotional and behavioral problems.@*Methods@#A cohort of 911 boys and girls from primary and secondary schools in Chongqing was studied. Psychological stress was measured in early and middle adolescence, and the levels of emotional and behavioral problems were determined in one year follow up. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the effects of psychological stress in early and middle adolescence on subsequent emotional and behavioral problems.@*Results@#The average psychological stress score in early and middle adolescence was (27.96±24.95), and the average scores of internalized and externalized behavioral problems and overall problems one year later were (8.21±8.46)(6.21±5.87) and (37.90±24.68) respectively. When grouped by gender, these scores, as well as the detection rate of anxiety and depression, withdrawal, physical discomfort, thinking problems, internalization problems and overall problems, were higher in girls than boys( t/Z =-6.38，-5.63，-6.06，-3.74，-6.80，-5.47， χ 2=15.88，12.01，3.92，6.64，24.67，15.88， P <0.05). Logistic regression showed that the psychological stress scale score was a risk factor for internalized and externalized behavioral problems and overall problems( P <0.05).@*Conclusion@#Psychological stress levels in early and middle puberty have a positive predictive effect on emotional and behavioral problems in the following year.