Mental health among children and adolescents in Poland

The article provides an overview of mental health problems among children and adolescents in Poland. It begins with a review of Polish and international documents and action plans concerning mental health. In the next two sections the author presents the actual data about epidemiology of mental health disorders and characteristics of the most frequent mental health problems. As the analysis shows, in the last few years in Poland the prevalence of mental disorders among children and adolescents rapidly increased. The next sections focus on the risk and protective factors for mental health. The article concludes with some recommendations for improving mental health care system in Poland

Social support, health and health behaviours of teenage children of parents working abroad

Migracja zarobkowa Polaków w XXI wieku stanowi znaczący problem społeczny. W dyskusjach na temat konsekwencji migracji rodzicielskich dla dzieci można wskazać dwa dominujące nurty: pierwszy traktuje tę sytuację jako bliską lub równą patologii ze względu na ryzyko rozpadu rodziny, zaburzenia więzi rodzinnej oraz wystąpienia problemów psychologiczno-pedagogicznych u dzieci; w drugim zakłada się, że skutki wyjazdów zależą od splotu czynników ryzyka i zasobów środowiskowych. Celem przedstawionej pracy była analiza zarówno wskaźników wsparcia społecznego (ze strony rodziny i szkoły), jak też zdrowia, zadowolenia z życia oraz zachowań prozdrowotnych i ryzykownych nastoletnich dzieci rodziców pracujących za granicą. Przeprowadzone w roku szkolnym 2013/2014 badania ankietowe stanowiły część międzynarodowych badań zachowań zdrowotnych dzieci i młodzieży HBSC (Health Behaviour in School-aged Children). Dane dotyczące emigracji zarobkowej rodziców uzyskano od 1 515 uczniów gimnazjów i szkół ponadgimnazjalnych. Wykazano, że 18,1% badanej młodzieży doświadczyło wyjazdu rodziców za granicę w ciągu dwóch lat poprzedzających badanie. Młodzież z tych rodzin spostrzegała mniejsze wsparcie rodzinne, jednak jakość komunikacji w rodzinie nie różniła się od pozostałych nastolatków. W rodzinach używających programów typu SKYPE nie wystąpił efekt niższego poziomu wsparcia rodziny. Wykazano, że spostrzegany poziom wsparcia od nauczycieli był niższy w grupie nastolatków z rodzin migracyjnych, ale poziom wsparcia od innych uczniów w klasie nie różnił się. Młodzież z rodzin migracyjnych była bardziej aktywna fizycznie od swoich rówieśników, ale rzadziej jadła śniadania. Młodzież gimnazjalna z rodzin migracyjnych częściej niż rówieśnicy sięgała po papierosy i marihu anę, częściej też upijała się i podejmowała aktywność seksualną. Nie stwierdzono róż nic pomiędzy analizowanymi grupami młodzieży w zakresie zdrowia i zadowolenia z życia. Badanie wskazało rodzinę jako kluczowe źródło wsparcia dla młodzieży i potwierdziło pozytywną rolę nowoczesnych mediów elektronicznych. Prowadzenie systematycznych badań i wdrażanie na ich podstawie programów promocji zdrowia dzieci i młodzieży z rodzin migracyjnych powinno na stałe zagościć we współczesnej polityce zdrowotnej.The migration of Poles for economic reasons is a significant social problem in the twenty-first century. In discussions on the consequences of parental migration we can identify two dominant trends: the first treats this situation as close or equal to being pathological due to the risk of family breakdown, attachment disorders and of psychological and pedagogical problems in children; in the second, it is assumed that the effects of migration depend on a combination of risk factors and environmental resources. The aim of this study was to analyse both indicators of social support (from family and school), as well as health, life satisfaction and the health and risky behaviours of teenage children of parents working abroad. Surveys carried out in the school year 2013/2014 were a part of the international study HBSC (Health Behaviour in School-aged Children). Data on parental emigration was obtained from 1.515 pupils of lower and upper secondary schools. It was shown that 18.1% of the young people have experienced their parents migration during the two years preceding the survey. Adolescents from these families perceived less family sup port, but the quality of communication in the family didn’t differ from other teenagers. In families using programs like SKYPE a lower level of family support wasn’t observed. It has been shown that the perceived level of support from teachers was lower in the group of teenagers from migrant families, but the level of support from classmates didn’t differ. Adolescents from migrant families were more physically active than their peers, but less often ate breakfast. Lower secondary school students from migrant families smoked cigarettes and marijuana, got drunk and were sexual active more often than their peers. There were no differences between the analysed groups in terms of health and life satisfaction. The survey indicated the family as a key source of support for youth and confirmed the positive role of modern electronic media. Conducting systematic research and implementation of health promotion programs for children and adolescents from migrant families should be a permanent feature in contemporary health policy

Loneliness and Internet addiction of Polish adolescents

Background and aims: Internet addiction in adolescents has been a growing problem over the recent years. The aim of the study was to assess the relationships between Internet addiction, loneliness (social and emotional) and adolescents’ lower quality of life. Methods: An anonymous survey was conducted in Poland in lower and upper secondary schools on a sample of  376 students, aged 14–19. The  Young’s Diagnostic Questionnaire, the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale and KIDSCREEN-10 index were used. The statistical analysis of the data included χ2 test, partial correlations (SPSS v. 23) and path analysis (AMOS v. 19). Results: Of the participants, 11.6% were identified as addicted to Internet, and 8.2% – as being at risk of addiction; 37.8% of the participants were moderately lonely, and 2.5% – severely lonely. Partial correlations with age and gender as controlled variables revealed relationships between Internet addiction and overall and emotional loneliness, but not social loneliness nor quality of life. Path analysis confirmed significant associations between Internet addiction and emotional loneliness, and between emotional loneliness and quality of life. Emotional loneliness was a statistically significant mediator between Internet addiction and quality of life. Conclusions: Internet addiction is a predictor of adolescents’ loneliness, and excessive use of the Internet indirectly lowers the quality of life of young people, causing emotional loneliness. Our study indicates a correlation, not a causal relation. Lonely individuals may use the Internet compensatively

Samotność a uzależnienie od internetu polskiej młodzieży

Background and aims: Internet addiction in adolescents has been a growing problem over the recent years. The aim of the study was to assess the relationships between Internet addiction, loneliness (social and emotional) and adolescents’ lower quality of life. Methods: An anonymous survey was conducted in Poland in lower and upper secondary schools on a sample of  376 students, aged 14–19. The  Young’s Diagnostic Questionnaire, the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale and KIDSCREEN-10 index were used. The statistical analysis of the data included χ2 test, partial correlations (SPSS v. 23) and path analysis (AMOS v. 19). Results: Of the participants, 11.6% were identified as addicted to Internet, and 8.2% – as being at risk of addiction; 37.8% of the participants were moderately lonely, and 2.5% – severely lonely. Partial correlations with age and gender as controlled variables revealed relationships between Internet addiction and overall and emotional loneliness, but not social loneliness nor quality of life. Path analysis confirmed significant associations between Internet addiction and emotional loneliness, and between emotional loneliness and quality of life. Emotional loneliness was a statistically significant mediator between Internet addiction and quality of life. Conclusions: Internet addiction is a predictor of adolescents’ loneliness, and excessive use of the Internet indirectly lowers the quality of life of young people, causing emotional loneliness. Our study indicates a correlation, not a causal relation. Lonely individuals may use the Internet compensatively.Tło i cele: Uzależnienie od internetu w wieku dorastania jest rosnącym problemem ostatnich lat. Celem zaprezentowanej pracy jest określenie związku pomiędzy uzależnieniem od internetu, samotnością (społeczną oraz emocjonalną) a niską jakością życia młodzieży. Metody: Anonimowa ankieta została przeprowadzona w Polsce w szkołach średnich na próbie 376 uczniów w wieku 14–19 lat. W badaniu zostały użyte: The Young’s Diagnostic Questionnaire, the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale oraz 10-czynnikowy kwestionariusz KIDSCREEN. Analiza statystyczna danych obejmowała test χ2 , częściową korelację (SPSS v. 23) oraz analizę torową (AMOS v. 19). Wyniki: Spośród badanych 11,6% młodzieży zostało określonych jako uzależnieni od internetu, 8,2% – jako na granicy uzależnienia, 37,8% – jako przeciętnie samotni, 2,5% – bardzo samotni. Okazało się, że częściowa korelacja pomiędzy wiekiem i płcią, jako jedna ze zmiennych, jest powiązana z uzależnieniem od internetu oraz emocjonalną samotnością, jednak nie ma związku z obniżeniem jakości życia oraz społeczną samotnością. Analiza torowa potwierdziła znaczący związek pomiędzy uzależnieniem od internetu a samotnością emocjonalną oraz pomiędzy emocjonalną samotnością a obniżeniem jakości życia. Samotność emocjonalna była statystycznie ważnym mediatorem pomiędzy uzależnieniem od internetu a obniżeniem jakości życia. Wnioski: Uzależnienie od internetu jest czynnikiem rokującym samotność dorastającej młodzieży, a nadmierne używanie internetu pośrednio obniża jakość życia młodych ludzi, powodując samotność emocjonalną. Badanie określa korelację, nie związek przyczynowo-skutkowy. Być może osoby samotne kompensacyjnie używają internetu

Personality and self-esteem of students actively using the social networking service Facebook

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between personality and self-esteem of students and their activity on Facebook. The results revealed that there is correlation between personality and self-esteem, and certain activities on the social networking site. The strongest dependence was discovered between extraversion and the number of friends, time since registration and frequency of using the "Events". Self-esteem was negatively correlated with the time spent on using Facebook

Zdrowie subiektywne i dbałość o zdrowie nauczycieli i innych pracowników szkół podstawowych i gimnazjów

Subjective health and taking care of health among teachers and non-teaching staff in primary and lower secondary schools This article presents the results of the survey on the self-assessment of health and taking care of health among teachers (N = 750) and non-teaching staff (N = 259) from 22 schools. It was an element of the diagnosis conducted in preparation for planning the project on school staff’s health promotion. The majority of respondents assessed their health positively, but over 40% had long-standing health problems, 40–51% often experienced strong pain/physical discomfort; while 25–33% often felt tired. The latter can negatively influence their disposition to work. While the majority of respondents reported that they took care of their health, only 60% of the teachers and 39% of other workers undertook some activities to improve it over the last year. All the indicators analyzed were more positive among teachers than non-teaching staff and most of the indicators were better for younger than for older persons. Women considered their health worse than men but more often took action to improve it. The differences in the health status of school staff should be taken into consideration in planning health promotion programmes at school

Breastfeeding in infancy, parenting practices in early adolescence and body mass of 13 year olds – analyses of relationships

Objective: To analyze relationships between breastfeeding duration, mothers’ parenting practices and body mass of thirteen years old. Subjects and methods: Prospective cohort of newborns identified after hospital birth and followed-up at 3 years and at 13 years was analyzed. At 3 years the mothers’ reports about breastfeeding were collected. Thirteen years old and their mothers filled up short version of Alabama Parenting Questionnaire. The group of 535 adolescents and their mothers was included in the analysis. Results: Thirteen years old which as a young children were breastfed for a long time evaluated their mother’s discipline and supervision in the most positive way. The risk of overweight for children brought up by mothers using inconsistent discipline was almost twice then for peers. Conclusion: Breastfeeding influence on children’s body mass can be mediated and improved by mother’s parenting practices.Udostępnienie publikacji Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego finansowane w ramach projektu „Doskonałość naukowa kluczem do doskonałości kształcenia”. Projekt realizowany jest ze środków Europejskiego Funduszu Społecznego w ramach Programu Operacyjnego Wiedza Edukacja Rozwój; nr umowy: POWER.03.05.00-00-Z092/17-00

Health enhancing behaviors of teachers and other school staff

Background: Any activity undertaken for the purpose of health enhancing behavior is an important element of taking care of one's health. The aim of this paper was to analyze the frequency of health enhancing behaviors and avoiding health-risk behaviors among teachers and other school staff by gender and age. Material and Methods: The sample consisted of 750 teachers and 259 individuals of non-teaching staff of 22 health promoting schools. A questionnaire that included Positive Health Behaviors Scale for Adults and questions on avoiding risk behaviors were used as a research tool. Results: Of the 32 analyzed health enhancing (positive) behaviors, only 11 were undertaken by teachers and 10 by non-teaching staff at a desirable frequency (always or almost always) in a group of more than 50% of respondents. Almost one third of health enhancing behaviors were undertaken with this frequency by less than 20% of respondents. The highest deficits concerned physical activity, nutrition and mental health-related behaviors, and the lowest concerned safety. Deficits in all positive health behaviors were smaller in teachers than in non-teaching staff, in women than in men and in older than in younger teachers. The majority of respondents, mostly teachers, irrespective of gender and age did not undertake risk behaviors. Conclusions: There was a lot of deficits in the healthy lifestyle of teachers and other school workers what is alarming from the point of view of school workers' health, their tasks and their role in shaping positive health behavior in children and adolescents. There is a great need for taking actions to improve the situation, such as the development of health promotion programs addressed to teachers and other school staff, including issues concerning healthy lifestyles in teacher's pre- and in-service training, counselling in the area of healthy lifestyle in preventive health care of school staff. Med Pr 2013;64(5):659–67

Family and individual predictors and mediators of adolescent physical activity

Background In recent years, many reviews of research have demonstrated that the correlations between the physical activity of children and their parents are not as obvious as was once believed. Family factors constitute determinants of children’s physical activity; however, this influence can be mediated by other factors. The aim of the analyses was to examine the mechanisms of the relationships between parental and individual factors: to examine whether parental modelling of physical activity and parental support are direct and indirect predictors of children’s physical activity and whether self-efficacy is a mediator of these relationships. Participants and procedure Data from 1,287 Polish adolescents aged 14 to 18 were analysed. The study used questions and scales regarding perceived parental modelling of physical activity (perceived parental physical activity and joint activities), received parental support, and self-efficacy, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and vigorous physical activity (VPA) of adolescents. Statistical analyses included partial correlations, regression analyses and structural equation modelling. Results It was found that self-efficacy, support, gender and parental modelling are independent predictors of physical activity in adolescents; the strongest predictors are self-efficacy and support. Support was a mediator of the relationship between modelling and physical activity and between modelling and self-efficacy. Self-efficacy was a mediator of the relationship between support and physical activity. Conclusions Parental physical activity, as well as parents’ engagement in joint activity and children’s activity, strengthens self-efficacy in adolescents and predisposes young people to maintain physically active behaviour