Ulster University

Academic Institute

Ulster University

Yes

243

Despite growing concerns for youth mental health and wellbeing, contributing factors to youth mental health remain under-researched in Northern Ireland. The aim of this study is to conduct an analysis of contributing factors to youth mental health in Northern Irish adolescents. Based on previous research, this analysis will include the following predictor variables: socioeconomic status, housing tenure, neighbourhood deprivation, overcrowded housing, joint/single parent households, number of siblings, parental education, parental health, sibling health, the health of the young person and family bereavement. Data will be analysed using multi-level modelling to explore the relationship between families, socioeconomic status and housing on mental wellbeing in Northern Irish youths. Aims: 1. To explore the impact of socioeconomic status on adolescent mental health. 2. To investigate the link between housing tenure, neighbourhood deprivation and overcrowding on adolescent mental health. 3. To understand the role of joint/single parent families, parental health and parental bereavement on adolescent mental health. 4. To assess the relationship between sibling number, sibling health and sibling bereavement on adolescent mental health. 5. To investigate whether adolescent physical health is related to housing and adolescent mental health.

Health and wellbeing are central to this study. Youth mental health, as already shown, is of growing concern to charities, public bodies, employers, educational institutions, and health and social care researchers. Northern Ireland currently lacks a comprehensive understanding of how SES and familial factors impact the mental health and wellbeing of its youth population. Northern Irish youths have previously been sampled in the Health Behaviours in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study to assess physical and mental wellbeing, but have not been sampled since 1998 (Currie et al., 2000). This currently leaves a 20-year gap in understanding of how SES and family circumstances impact adolescent wellbeing in Northern Ireland. This is a considerable gap in understanding due to socioeconomic and societal changes taking place in Northern Ireland since 1998; these include increased unemployment (NISRA, 2015), an increase in older mothers, and an increase in divorce rates (NISRA, 2014).

11/04/2019

TRE