Psychological distress in secondary school students
Data table
View data tableNote
Estimates based on 4,847 respondents in 1996, 3651 in 1999, 3506 in 2002 and 2732 in 2005. High psychological distress defined as response of 'almost more than I can take' to one or more of the following 3 questions: How bad was it for you, when you were feeling unhappy, sad or depressed/nervous, stressed or under pressure/in trouble because of your behaviour?'.
Source
NSW School Students Health Behaviours Survey, 2005 (HOIST). Centre for Epidemiology and Research, NSW Department of Health.
Commentary
These are the latest data available. The page will be updated when the new data becomes available.
Psychological distress refers to a range of feelings experienced by people who may have identifiable mental health problems such as anxiety or mood disorders, or who may be highly stressed for situational reasons. High psychological distress has been shown to be associated with increased rates of substance use and poor school performance (NSW Health, 2004).
In 2005 psychological distress in the NSW School Students Health Behaviours Survey was identified by questions that asked if the student had experienced feelings of depression, anxiety, or stress from being in trouble about their behaviour in the last 6 months. Those who had experienced a problem were asked 'how bad' it was for them at the time. A student who responded 'almost more than I can take' to any of the 3 problems was considered to have experienced high psychological distress.
Using this definition, high psychological distress was reported by 16.6 % of secondary school students in 2005 and was reported more commonly by females than males (20.9% versus 12.2%). The proportion of females reporting high psychological distress increased from 18.3% in 1996 to 21.5% in 2002 and subsequently decreased to 20.9% in 2005. There was a decrease in the male rate over the same period from 13.9 in 1996 to 12.2% in 2005.
These results are comparable with previous Australian studies that used other methods of measuring psychological distress in young people.
For more information
NSW Department of Health. The health behaviours of secondary school students in New South Wales 2002. N S W Public Health Bull 2004; 15(S-2).
NSW Department of Health. NSW School link initiative. Sydney: NSW Department of Health, 2003. Available at www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/s/pdf/well_school-link.pdf.
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Copyright notice
This work is copyright NSW Department of Health, 2006. It may be reproduced in whole or in part, subject to the inclusion of an acknowledgement of the source. Commercial usage or sale is prohibited.
Suggested citation
Population Health Division. The health of the people of New South Wales - Report of the Chief Health Officer. Sydney: NSW Department of Health. Available at: www.health.nsw.gov.au/publichealth/chorep/. Accessed (insert date of access).
Produced by
Centre for Epidemiology and Research, Population Health Division, NSW Department of Health.
Last updated on 15 December 2008
