Screening of Adolescents for Selected Mental Illness and to Identify its Risk Factors

Abstract

Background: Mental health can be disturbed among adolescents at any time. One in five adolescents are
affected by mental illness age between 14-24 years. 10-20% of adolescentsis affected by mental illness by
the age of twenty all over the World.
Aims: The study aims to Screening of adolescents for schizophrenia and depression and to identify its risk
factors.
Objectives: 1. To identify the risk factors of specific mental illness among adolescents. 2. To screen and
identify the adolescents for depression through BECK depression scale. 3. To screen and identify the
adolescents for neurotic disorders through Brief psychiatric rating scale. 4. To associate the risk factors of
specific mental illness with their demographic variables.
Method: Research approach: Exploratory approach, Research design: Descriptive design.
Sample: Adolescents aged between 10-20 years. Sample size: 300. Sampling technique: Non probability
Purposive sampling Tools: BECK depression inventory to identify depression, Brief psychiatric rating scale:
To identify for neurotic disorders. Setting of study: Selected Schools of Wardha district.
Results: The main risk factors identified are: Most of the adolescents was having enmeshment relationship
towards their parents and 2% were having disengagement relationship; 15.67% family members of
adolescents were diagnosed with psychiatric illnesses and on psychiatric treatment. In BECK depression
inventory, most of the adolescents were adopted everyday ups and down are considered normal whereas
20% of them were having moderate depression.
Conclusion: More interventions are required to deal with mental disorders among adolescents.