An examination of childhood anxiety, depression and self-esteem across socioeconomic groups : A comparison study between high and low socio-economic status school communities

Farrell, Lara, Sijbenga, Anouk and Barrett, Paula (2009) An examination of childhood anxiety, depression and self-esteem across socioeconomic groups : A comparison study between high and low socio-economic status school communities. Advances in School Mental Health Promotion, 2 1: 5-19.

Author Farrell, Lara
Sijbenga, Anouk
Barrett, Paula
Title An examination of childhood anxiety, depression and self-esteem across socioeconomic groups : A comparison study between high and low socio-economic status school communities
Journal name Advances in School Mental Health Promotion  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank C)   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2009-01
Sub-type Article
Volume number 2
Issue number 1
ISSN 1754-730X
Start page 5
End page 19
Total pages 15
Place of publication Stafford, England, U.K.
Publisher Clifford Beers Foundation
Language eng
Formatted abstract Anxiety and depression occur at alarmingly high rates in children and young people; hence the recent research and policy focus on school-based mental health promotion and prevention interventions. Currently, little is known about the level of risk between socio-economic school communities. While disadvantaged socio-economic status (SES) has long been identified as a particular risk factor for mental health problems, level of risk for anxiety and depression in different SES school communities has not been explored. This study explores the relationship between SES and anxiety and depression, as well as the protective factor self-esteem in children and young people. The results indicated that children in the low SES schools scored significantly higher on depression and lower on self-esteem than children in the high SES schools. Interestingly, and contrary to the hypotheses, children in the high SES school reported significantly higher anxiety than those in lower SES schools. The outcome of this research suggests that children from low SES schools may have a higher level of risk for depression with lower psychological protective factors, such as self-esteem, but this result was not evident for anxiety. Research exploring the risk for mental health disorders, as a function of SES school community, is important in terms of prevention programming.
Keyword Anxiety
Depression
Self-esteem
Socio economic status
School Children
School mental health
Q-Index Code C1
Q-Index Status Provisional Code
Institutional Status Unknown

Document type: Journal Article
Sub-type: Article
Collections: ERA 2012 Admin Only
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Created: Wed, 14 Dec 2011, 14:00:43 EST by Claire Backhouse on behalf of School of Education