Mental health through the life course: understanding the interrelations between individual and psychosocial factors, and social participation
Mental health through the life course: understanding the interrelations between individual and psychosocial factors, and social participation
What happens during childhood and adolescence can have lasting consequences, especially for mental health and social participation, such as engagement in school and work. Examples include a difficult family situation, stressful events, or unhealthy behaviors at a young age. These factors influence how young people feel, how they perform at school, and how smoothly they transition into work. These complex relationships must be better understood to effectively support young people—which is the core of this dissertation of Lisette Wijbenga.
The results show that unhealthy behaviors and stressful events during puberty affect mental health from childhood into adulthood. Most unhealthy behaviors showed no effect, except obesity-related behaviors. Mental health problems in childhood increased the likelihood of stressful events and negative family functioning, while family functioning did not protect against later problems. Emotional abuse and neglect were particularly influential, with poor emotion regulation and cognitive vulnerabilities as key links. Five cognitive skills—ignoring distractions, getting started, maintaining attention, planning, and managing time—explained the connection between mental health problems and academic success. Finally, the transition from school to work was less favorable among young people from families with lower socioeconomic status, regardless of their mental health.
In sum, this thesis shows that childhood mental health strongly influences later life—affecting not only mental health itself but also school, work, and broader social participation. The findings emphasize the importance of prevention, early support, and policies that offer fair opportunities to all young people.