Associations between Demographic Characteristics, Lifestyle Factors and School-Related Conditions and Symptoms of Mental Health Problems in Norwegian Upper Secondary School Students
Open accessAbstract
Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations between demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors and school-related conditions, and symptoms of mental health problems in Norwegian upper secondary school students following the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: In this cross-sectional study design we used a binary logistic regression model to evaluate potential associations between the predictors and dependent variable. Results: The following six predictors had a statistically significant impact on symptoms of mental health problems; gender effect of being a girl (p < 0.001), self-perceived body image (p < 0.001), sleep problems (p < 0.001), dietary habits (p = 0.033), school satisfaction (p = 0.013), and satisfaction with physical education (PE) class participation (p = 0.025). Conclusions: Being a girl was associated with a 315% higher probability of reporting symptoms of mental health problems than boys, whereas one unit increase in sleep problems showed a 192% higher probability of symptoms of mental health problems. Furthermore, a one unit increase on the respective beneficial predictors’ scales was associated with the following percentage having a lower probability of reporting symptoms of mental health problems; self-perceived body image (59%), dietary habits (58%), school satisfaction (82%), and satisfaction with PE class participation (68%).
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Media exposure through fashion magazines and social media bombards women with images celebrating a specific body type, often digitally altered.
“From fashion magazines to social media platforms, women are bombarded with images that celebrate a specific body type, often digitally altered to achieve perfection [133].”
From Body Perceptions and Psychological Well-Being: A Review of the Impact of Social Media and Physical Measurements on Self-Esteem and Mental Health with a Focus on Body Image Satisfaction and Its Relationship with Cultural and Gender Factors (2024) · cites this paper as [133]
The Discussion (page unavailable in our copy) reports that exposure to thin media images may reduce body satisfaction among girls under 19 and that beauty trends on social media may contribute to unhealthy body perceptions in young people. It does not establish that women are bombarded with such images, or mention fashion magazines or digital alteration. (LLM, conf=0.85)
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- Authors
- Barene, S., Ruud-Tronsmoen, A., & Johansen, P. F.
- Affiliations
- University of Inland Norway (NO)
- Corresponding author
- Barene, Svein
- Venue
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2022-08-04
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 15
- Pages
- 9575
- ISSN
- 1660-4601 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC9368663
- OpenAlex
- W4289994491
- Cited by
- 10
- References
- 60
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3
- FWCI
- 1.60
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Student Stress and Coping
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- adolescent mental health, psychiatric symptoms, high school students, COVID-19 pandemic, gender differences, body image, sleep disorders, dietary habits, school satisfaction, physical education, lifestyle factors, demographic factors
- MeSH terms
- COVID-19, Cross-Sectional Studies, Demography, Female, Humans, Life Style, Male, Mental Health, Schools, Sleep Wake Disorders, Students, Pandemics
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