Do changes in the psychosocial school environment influence pupils' health development? Results from a three-year follow-up study.

Full Abstract

AIMS:
This study analysed the effects of psychosocial factors at school on pupils' health and self-worth from a longitudinal perspective.

METHODS:
A three-year prospective study was started in 1994, including 533 pupils (261 girls, 272 boys) from 25 different classes in grades 3 and 6. With age-adjusted questionnaires the changes in self-perceived health were compared with changes in psychosocial school environmental factors.

RESULTS:
The girls in the older cohort reported a negative health development with decreased self-worth and increased somatic and psychological symptoms. Significant gender differences in ill health, but not in self-worth, developed, especially in the older cohort. A multiple regression analysis showed that a negative development of psychosocial factors at school, measured as control, demand, and classmate problems, was associated with poorer health and self-worth among the pupils. A trichotomization of the psychosocial variables at school indicated a possible causal relationship between psychosocial factors and ill health and self-worth.

CONCLUSIONS:
The negative development in pupils' health and self-worth could partly be explained by the more unfavourable psychosocial environment that prevails at school at the senior level. The public health implications of our study can be summarized as the need for schools to improve pupils' social situation at school in relation to their work situation as well as to pay special attention to the school situation of girls at senior level.

Learn Faster Today Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Gådin, Katja Gillander (KG); Hammarström, Anne (A);

Affiliation: Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. katja.gillander-gadin(-atsign-)mh.se

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Scandinavian journal of public health (Scand J Public Health), published in Norway. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-; vol 31 (issue 3) : pp 169-77

Dates: Created 2003/07/09; Completed 2003/10/27; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 12850970, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

This article has not been indexed for related articles as yet, however you can still use the live related article search links below.

See 100+ related articles.