Can achievement differentials be explained by social class alone?

This article assesses the importance of social class in explaining differentials in the educational achievements of minority ethnic pupils in England and Wales. It is found to be a key factor for all groups. The analysis finds significant differences between ethnic groups even when pupils from the same social class background are compared. When disparities within ethnic groups are examined, however, it is found that the effect of moving one place down the social class structure is similar for all ethnicities. This leads to the conclusion that social class operates in a similar way for all ethnic groups without a specifically `ethnic effect' that mitigates its impact in certain groups

Family social support, community “social capital” and adolescents’ mental health and educational outcomes: a longitudinal study in England

Purpose To examine the associations between family social support, community “social capital” and mental health and educational outcomes. Methods The data come from the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England, a multi-stage stratified nationally representative random sample. Family social support (parental relationships, evening meal with family, parental surveillance) and community social capital (parental involvement at school, sociability, involvement in activities outside the home) were measured at baseline (age 13–14), using a variety of instruments. Mental health was measured at age 14–15 (GHQ-12). Educational achievement was measured at age 15–16 by achievement at the General Certificate of Secondary Education. Results After adjustments, good paternal (OR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.56–0.86) and maternal (OR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.53–0.81) relationships, high parental surveillance (OR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.69–0.94) and frequency of evening meal with family (6 or 7 times a week: OR = 0.77, 95% CI 0.61–0.96) were associated with lower odds of poor mental health. A good paternal relationship (OR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.06–1.51), high parental surveillance (OR = 1.37, 95% CI 1.20–1.58), high frequency of evening meal with family (OR = 1.64, 95% CI 1.33–2.03) high involvement in extra-curricular activities (OR = 2.57, 95% CI 2.11–3.13) and parental involvement at school (OR = 1.60, 95% CI 1.37–1.87) were associated with higher odds of reaching the educational benchmark. Participating in non-directed activities was associated with lower odds of reaching the benchmark (OR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.70–0.89). Conclusions Building social capital in deprived communities may be one way in which both mental health and educational outcomes could be improved. In particular, there is a need to focus on the family as a provider of support

Physical activity and depressive symptoms in adolescents: a prospective study

Background: The frequency of mental illness amongst adolescents and its potential long-term consequences make it an important topic to research in relation to risk and protective factors. Research on the relationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms in adolescents is limited. There is a particular lack of evidence from longitudinal studies. This study examines the relationship between depression and physical activity using the Research with East London Adolescents: Community Health Survey (RELACHS).Methods: This was a prospective cohort study. Participants were recruited from three Local Education Authority boroughs in East London in 2001 from year 7 (aged 11-12) and year 9 (aged 13-14) and were followed-up in 2003. All pupils in the 28 schools that took part were eligible for the study. Of the total 3,322 pupils eligible for the survey the overall response rate was 84% (2,789 pupils). A total of 2,093 (75%) pupils were also followed-up in 2003. The sample was multiethnic (73% of respondents were non-white) and deprived. Just under half of the sample was male (49%). Depressive symptoms were measured using the Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ). Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between physical activity and depressive symptoms both cross-sectionally and longitudinally.Results: After adjustments, there was evidence for a cross-sectional association between physical activity and depressive symptoms for both boys and girls at baseline, with a decrease in the odds of depressive symptoms of about 8% for each additional hour of exercise undertaken per week (boys: odds ratio (OR) = 0.92, 95% CI 0.85 to 0.99; girls: OR = 0.92, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.00). There was no evidence for an association between a change in physical activity from baseline to follow-up and depressive symptoms at follow-up.Conclusions: This study provides some evidence for an association between level of physical activity and decreased depressive symptoms in adolescents. Further longitudinal research of these associations is required before physical activity can be recommended as an intervention for depression in adolescents

Bullying Victimisation, Internalising Symptoms, and Conduct Problems in South African Children and Adolescents: A Longitudinal Investigation

Bullying victimisation has been prospectively linked with mental health problems among children and adolescents in longitudinal studies in the developed world. However, research from the developing world, where adolescents face multiple risks to social and emotional development, has been limited by cross-sectional designs. This is the first longitudinal study of the psychological impacts of bullying victimisation in South Africa. The primary aim was to examine prospective relationships between bullying victimisation and internalising and externalising symptoms in South African youth. Secondary aims were to examine gender and age-related differences in experiences of bullying victimisation. Children and adolescents (10–17 years, 57 % female, n = 3,515) from high HIV-prevalent (>30 %) communities in South Africa were interviewed and followed-up 1 year later (97 % retention). Census enumeration areas were randomly selected from urban and rural sites in two provinces and door-to-door sampling included all households with a resident child/adolescent. Exposure to multiple experiences of bullying victimisation at baseline predicted internalising symptoms and conduct problems 1 year later. Additionally, baseline mental health scores predicted later bullying victimisation, demonstrating bi-directionality of relationships between bullying victimisation and mental health outcomes in this sample. Expected gender differences in physical, verbal, and relational bullying victimisation were evident and predicted declines in bullying victimisation over time were observed. In the developed world, school-based anti-bullying programmes have been shown to be effective in reducing bullying and victimisation. Anti-bullying programmes should be implemented and rigorously evaluated in South Africa, as this may promote improved mental health among South African children and adolescents

Black and minority ethnic educational atainment and engagement with school in Britain

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Assessing Physical Health Risk in People With Intellectual Disability Using the Decision Support Tool for Physical Health [DST-PH]

Aims Accurately and comprehensively assessing physical health risk for people with intellectual disability (ID) is paramount in improving health outcomes, reducing the need for acute hospital admissions and preventing mortality. We aimed to compare the existing approach to assessing physical health risk with the use of a novel standardised risk stratification tool, the Decision Support Tool for Physical Health [DST-PH]. We hypothesise that DST-PH will be useful in improving and streamlining the assessment of physical health risk factors in people with ID. People with ID are more likely to have poorer physical health outcomes and are at increased risk of premature and preventable death. Annual data from LeDeR (Learning from lives and deaths – People with a learning disability and autistic people) consistently underlines the need for developing strategies that reduce the risk of people with ID developing conditions associated with high causes of morbidity and mortality. The DST-PH is an online tool that helps clinicians to identify people with ID who are at increased risk of early and preventable death. The tool captures key patient data about underlying health issues and risk factors that can contribute to poor health outcomes. Patients are then stratified according to their overall level of risk using a ‘RAG’ (red, green, amber) system. This allows targeted intervention and monitoring for those patients in need. Methods All patient-facing staff in the Wandsworth Learning Disability Service were surveyed about their confidence levels in assessing physical health risk factors independently. We then asked each member of staff to assess physical health risk and assign a RAG rating for 2 randomly selected patients using their usual methods (clinical judgement). We then assessed the same patients using the DST-PH tool. Results were then compared to determine the degree of correlation between clinicians' existing risk assessment methods and the risk ratings assigned using the DST-PH. Results Survey results showed that staff would welcome the introduction of a risk stratification tool. Comparison of risk assessment data showed a significant correlation between clinicians’ assessment and the results from the tool. Conclusion Results evidenced the drive for ID clinicians to be observant of the physical health care needs of their patients. Introduction of the DST-PH may help to streamline the risk assessment process and increase confidence levels of clinicians

純理上より觀たる財産重課の理由

Background: Material and social environmental stressors affect mental health in adolescence. Protective factors such as social support from family and friends may help to buffer the effects of adversity. Aims: The association of violence exposure and emotional disorders was examined in Cape Town adolescents. Method: A total of 1034 Grade 8 high school students participated from seven government co-educational schools in Cape Town, South Africa. Exposure to violence in the past 12 months and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were measured by the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, depressive and anxiety symptoms by the Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale. Results: Exposure to violence was associated with high scores on depressive (odds ratio (OR)=6.23, 95% CI 4.2-9.2), anxiety (OR=5.40, 95% CI 2.4-12.4) and PTSD symptoms (OR=8.93, 95% CI 2.9-27.2) and increased risk of self-harm (OR=5.72, 95% CI 1.2-25.9) adjusting for gender and social support. Conclusions: We found that high exposure to violence was associated with high levels of emotional disorders in adolescents that was not buffered by social support. There is an urgent need for interventions to reduce exposure to violence in young people in this setting. Declaration of interest: None. Copyright and usage: © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Non-Commercial, No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) license