Assessment of mental health in Cook Island adolescents: a baseline survey

Approximately 15% of adolescents experience a mental health disorder, accounting for a significant proportion of the global burden of illness. Moreover, the rates of diagnosed mental and behavioural disorders in adolescents have risen significantly over recent years. The prevalence of poor mental health in Pacific Island populations remains poorly defined, particularly during the period of adolescence which represents a sensitive period for the development of mental health disorders. In the present study, a survey of mental health in adolescents in the Cook Islands was undertaken using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Fifty-seven adolescents (aged 13–14 years) representing three schools across the Cook Islands completed the self-report SDQ. A large proportion of students presented with total SDQ scores that well exceeded those mapped against the expected band prevalence with 38% of adolescents having total difficulties scores in the High-Very High category versus an expected banding for these categories at 10%. This study has highlighted a current significant mental health burden in Cook Island adolescents and identified an urgent need to develop scaffolded resources to support these students, their families, the schools and wider community.

全球约15%的青少年存在精神障碍问题，此类病症在全球疾病总负担中占比颇高。此外，近年来青少年被确诊的精神与行为障碍患病率显著上升。太平洋岛民群体的心理健康状况不佳患病率目前仍未明确，而青少年时期作为精神障碍发生的敏感窗口期，这一群体的相关数据尤为匮乏。本研究采用长处和困难问卷（Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, SDQ），针对库克群岛青少年的心理健康状况开展了调查。来自库克群岛三所学校的57名13至14岁青少年完成了该自评式问卷。结果显示，多数学生的长处和困难问卷总得分远高于参照预期分层患病率的阈值：38%的青少年总困难得分处于高-极高层级，而该两类层级的预期占比仅为10%。本研究揭示了库克群岛青少年当前面临的严峻心理健康负担，并明确指出亟需开发阶梯式支持资源，以帮扶这些青少年、其家庭、学校及更广泛的社区群体。