A recent systematic review of 172 studies involving data from over 12 million adolescents across 166 countries has shed light on the state of adolescent mental health research on a global scale. Published in BMJ Global Health, the review conducted by an international research team led by the Research Center for Child Psychiatry at the University of Turku, Finland, has revealed both progress and challenges in the field.
One of the key findings of the review is the significant expansion of cross-national adolescent mental health research, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) over the past three decades. However, the review also highlighted that 52 countries were not included in any of the studies reviewed, indicating large gaps in global representation.
The review pointed out that most research heavily relies on cross-sectional, school-based surveys with self-reported questionnaires. The Health Behavior in School-aged Children study, the Global School-based Student Health Survey, and the Program for International Student Assessment were identified as the most commonly used international surveys in the studies reviewed.
While bullying and internalizing problems such as anxiety and depression are frequently studied, externalizing behaviors like aggression are often overlooked in global adolescent mental health research. The review also noted that traditional bullying was reported more frequently in LMICs compared to high-income countries in the majority of the studies.
One of the major challenges highlighted by the lead authors of the review, Doctoral Researcher Xiao Zhang and Postdoctoral Researcher Yuko Mori, is the reliance on Western mental health constructs in research tools. They emphasized the need for culturally grounded instruments in LMICs to ensure the validity and relevance of research findings across diverse settings.
Professor Andre Sourander, Director of the Research Center for Child Psychiatry, stressed the importance of including diverse societies, minorities, and risk groups in adolescent mental health research. He emphasized the need for validated tools, multiple informant sources, and representative samples that include minority populations to enrich global mental health research.
Looking ahead, the researchers advocate for the development and validation of culturally grounded assessment frameworks in LMICs. They believe that this approach could not only enhance mental health research in high-income countries but also offer more inclusive and globally applicable insights into adolescent well-being.
In conclusion, the systematic review underscores the progress made in global adolescent mental health research while highlighting the persistent gaps in representation and methodological challenges. By addressing these issues and promoting cross-cultural research, the field of adolescent mental health can advance towards a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges and needs of young people worldwide.
