Life at age 14: initial findings from the Growing Up in Scotland study

7. Mental health and life satisfaction

This section covers findings relating to young people's mental health (with a focus on depression), how they felt about their life and sources of support. Parental views on both their own and their child's mental health are also included.

7.1 Experience of depression – young person

Young people were asked whether they had ever had a period in their life lasting several days or longer when on most of the days they felt depressed^[22] – just under half (47.2%) answered 'yes'.

Girls were more likely to say they had felt depressed (56.4%, compared with 38%), as were disabled young people (62.8%, compared with 44.6%).

For the next set of questions, young people who had ever had a period of feeling depressed were asked to think about the two-week period in their life when their feelings of depression or loss of interest were at their worst. They were asked whether this worst period started within two months of the death of someone close to them or after a stressful or traumatic event in their life, with 43.6% answering 'yes'.

Young people in SIMD quintile 1 were more likely to say that this period of feeling depressed was within two months of the death of someone close to them or a stressful/traumatic event (50%, compared with 36.7% of those in quintile 5).

Young people were asked typically how much of the day these feelings had usually lasted in the two-week period. As shown in Figure 40, over half (57.3%) reported that these feelings usually lasted 'all day long' or 'most of the day'.

Base: All young people who had a period in their life lasting several days or longer when most of the day they felt depressed, or when they lost interest in most things they usually enjoyed (1219)

Disabled young people were more likely to say they felt this way 'all day long' (23.3%, compared to 14.4% of non-disabled young people).

7.2 Changes related to depression – young person

Still referring to the two-week period, young people were asked whether they felt more tired or lower energy than was usual for them, with around four in five (82.2%) saying they had.

Girls were more likely to say they felt more tired or had lower energy than usual (87.6%, compared with 74% of boys).

Young people were asked whether they gained or lost weight without trying in the two-week period. As shown in Figure 41, just under half (46.5%) said they experienced changes in their weight, either through losing, gaining, or both gaining and losing some weight.

Base: All young people who had a period in their life lasting several days or longer when most of the day they felt depressed, or when they lost interest in most things they usually enjoyed (1214)

Disabled young people were more likely to say they 'lost weight' (23.8%, compared with 12.2%) and less likely to say they 'stayed about the same or were on a diet' (41.4%, compared with 56.4% of non-disabled young people).

When asked whether their sleep changed in this two-week period, three out of five young people (59.4%) reported their sleep had changed. Of those who reported their sleep had changed, three quarters (76%) said they had trouble falling asleep, around one in four (23.1%) woke too much or too early and three in ten (30.9%) slept too much.

Girls were more likely than boys to report that they were sleeping too much (34.7%, compared with 23%).

Disabled young people were more likely to report that their sleep had changed (66.4%, compared with 57.8% of non-disabled young people) to say that they were sleeping too much (46.2%, compared with 26.9%). Disabled young people were less likely to say they had trouble falling asleep (68.6%, compared with 77.8%).

Those in SIMD quintile 1 who had a period of feeling depressed, were more likely than those in quintile 5 to say they were sleeping too much (39.5%, compared with 23.8%).

Still referring to the two-week period, young people were asked whether they had experienced any of the feelings shown in Figure 42. Around seven in ten said they had a lot more trouble concentrating than usual and felt down on themselves, whilst half thought a lot about death.

Base: All young people who had a period in their life lasting several days or longer when most of the day they felt depressed, or when they lost interest in most things they usually enjoyed (1215-1217)

Girls were more likely than boys to say they that they felt down on themselves (79.1%, compared with 61.4%), that they had trouble concentrating (77.8%, compared with 64.8%), and that they had thought about death a lot (53.7%, compared with 44%).

Disabled young people were more likely to say that they had thought about death a lot (56.2%) compared with non-disabled young people (48.4%).

7.2.1 Other mental health concerns

All young people were asked whether they had ever experienced any emotional or mental health difficulties to the extent that they had received a diagnosis or sought help for it (e.g. from a doctor, nurse or school guidance counsellor). The vast majority (86.1%) said they had not done so, whilst 13.9% had done so.

Girls were more likely to say that they had sought help (18.6%, compared with 9.1% of boys), as were disabled young people (31.7%, compared with 10.9% of non-disabled young people).

When asked whether they had hurt themselves on purpose in any way in the last 12 months, 11.6% reported that they had done so.

Girls were more likely to say they had hurt themselves on purpose (16.2%, compared with 6.9% of boys), as were disabled young people (20%, compared with 10.2% of non-disabled young people).

7.3 Parental mental health – parent/main carer

Parents were asked whether their child takes medication for their mental health; only a small minority (4.8%) said 'yes'.

Parents of boys were more likely to say that their child takes medication for their mental health (6.5%, compared with 3%); as were parents of disabled young people (22%, compared with 1.7%) and parents in SIMD quintile 1 (9.1%) compared with quintile 3, quintile 4 and quintile 5 (3.4%-3.6%).

Parents were also asked about their own mental health, including whether they had ever sought help for, or been diagnosed with, a mental health condition, whether they currently take medication for a mental health condition and whether they had ever had a period of several days feeling depressed. Just over a third (34.4%) said they had sought help or being diagnosed with a mental health condition, whilst 18.3% said they were taking medication at the time of the GUS interview. Almost half (46.2%) said they had experienced a period of several days feeling depressed.

Parents of a disabled young person were more likely to say than parents of a non-disabled young person that:

• They had ever sought help for, or been diagnosed with, a mental health condition (53.4%, compared with 30.9%)
• They currently take medication for a mental health condition (36%, compared with 15.1%)
• They ever had a period of several days feeling depressed (63.1%, compared with 43%).

Similarly, parents in SIMD quintile 1 were more likely than those in quintile 5 to say that:

• They had ever sought help for, or been diagnosed with, a mental health condition (42%, compared with 28.5%)
• They currently take medication for a mental health condition (27.4%, compared with 12.7%)
• They ever had a period of several days feeling depressed (57%, compared with 38.2%).

7.4 Life satisfaction – young person

Young people were asked how they felt about different things in their life. As shown in Figure 43, life satisfaction was overall high across all four items. Just under two thirds (63.6%) said they 'always' or 'often' felt their life was just about right, and three quarters (74.8%) said they 'always' or 'often' felt they had what they wanted in life. However, around one in ten (9.3%) wished their life was 'always' or 'often' different and 15% of young people said they 'never' or only 'sometimes' felt they had a good life.

Base: All young people (2642-2645)

Girls were more likely to say they 'always', 'often' or 'sometimes' wish their life was different (62.8%, compared with 48.7% of boys). Whereas boys were more likely to say that their life was 'always' or 'often' just right (70.8%, compared with 56.5% of girls) and that they 'always' have a good life (57.6%, compared with 49.1% of girls).

Disabled young people were more likely than non-disabled young people to say they 'always', 'often' or 'sometimes' wish their life was different (66.6% and 54%) and to say they 'always' or 'often' feel that their life is just right (50.8%, compared with 65.8%).

Disabled young people were also less likely to say that they 'always' feel that they have what they want in life (27.9%, compared with 33% of non-disabled young people) and feel that they have a good life (45.1%, compared with 54.7%).

Young people in SIMD quintile 1 were less likely to say they 'always' have a good life (46.2%) compared with those in quintile 4 (57.7%) and quintile 5 (57.3%).

7.5 Support – young person

Young people were asked whether there was at least one adult they trusted and could talk to if they had a problem. The vast majority said this was 'completely' (73.8%) or 'somewhat' (20.8%) true, whilst 3.3% said this was 'not very true' and 2% said 'not at all true'.

Boys were more likely to say that it was 'completely true' that there was at least one adult they trusted and could talk to (77.5%, compared with 70.5% of girls).

Disabled young people were less likely to say that it was 'completely true' that there is at least one adult they trusted and could talk to (69.2%, compared with 74.6% of non-disabled young people).

7.5.1 What young people do when they are worried

Young people were asked which of the items listed in Figure 44 they did when they were worried about something. The most common answers included talking to a friend, their parents, or a brother or sister. One in five young people said they 'kept it to themselves'.

Base: All young people (2645)

Girls were more likely to say they talk to a friend (65.7%, compared with 45.7% of boys), whereas boys were more likely to say they keep it to themselves (22.6%, compared with 16.1% of girls).

Disabled young people were less likely to say they talk to a friend (43.8%) than non-disabled young people (57.7%) and more likely to talk to a teacher (16.8%, compared with 13%), someone else (9.2%, compared with 2.9%) or say they keep it to themselves (25%, compared with 18.4%).

Those in SIMD quintile 1 were less likely to say that they talk to their parents than those in quintiles 2, 4 and 5 (44.7%, compared with 56.1%, 54.9% and 55.9% respectively).

7.5.2 Who young person had spoken to

Young people were asked if they had ever spoken to any of the people listed in Figure 45 about problems or things they were worried about. Just over half (52.6%) said they had ever spoken to at least one of the listed people. Around one in five said they had spoken to a friend of the family, whilst one in ten had spoken to a doctor or to a counsellor.

Base: All young people (2644)

Girls were more likely than boys to say they had spoken to a counsellor (14.7%, compared with 4.9%), a friend of the family (20.8%, compared with 17%) or a friend's family member (9.6%, compared with 6.1%). Boys were more likely to say they had spoken to 'none of these' (53.1%, compared with 41.6% of girls).

Disabled young people were more likely than non-disabled young people to say they had spoken to a doctor (17.9%, compared with 9.5%), a counsellor (23%, compared with 7.7%) or a youth worker (6.8%, compared with 2.9%).

7.6 Significant life events – parent/main carer

Parents were asked whether their child had experienced any significant life events since the last GUS interview, from a list shown in Figure 46. Just under a quarter (23.7%) said they had experienced the death of a grandparent or other close relative, whilst 15.2% had experienced the death of a pet. Just under half (48%) said they had not experienced any of the events shown.

Base: All parents/main carers (2915)

Parents of a disabled young person were more likely to say that their child had experienced several of these events;

• Death of a pet (18.5%, compared with 14.6%)
• Mental disorder in the immediate family' (14%, compared with 4.9%)
• Parent had serious illness or accident' (9.0%, compared with 4.4%)
• Conflict between parents (8.4%, compared with 5.1%)
• Drug taking/alcoholism in the immediate family (4.5%, compared with 2.1%)
• Brother or sister had serious illness or accident (4.1%, compared with 1.8%)
• Stay in foster home/residential care (1.3%, compared with 0.1%)
• Parent in trouble with the police (2.8%, compared with 1.5%)
• Parent in prison (1.7%, compared with 0.4%)
• Child in trouble with the police (3.7%, compared with 1.6%)
• Other disturbing event (10.1%, compared with 3.8%).

Parents of a disabled young person were more also less to say that their child had experienced none of these events (38.3%) than parents of a non-disabled young person (49.8%).