The Effects of School Work Pressure on Depression and Substance Use: A Cross-National Study of School-Aged Children in Canada and Finland

Date
2015-05-27
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Abstract
Studies suggest that adolescents report a variety of academic stressors, which can have detrimental effects on mental health. Using the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children survey (2005/6 data), this study provides an analysis of the effects of school work pressures on depressive symptomology and substance use in adolescents in Canada and Finland. Using Pearlin’s stress process framework, the study also examines how socio-demographic indicators affect these stress outcomes. Results indicate that regardless of context, school work pressure negatively affects the mental health of students net of all socio-demographic indicators. However, this relationship is stronger in Finland than in Canada. Secondary results show that depressive symptomology is associated with smoking and alcohol consumption in both countries. School work pressure, however, only has an additional effect on the likelihood to drink alcohol among students in Finland. Ultimately, this study demonstrates that the mechanisms through which the stress process model operates differs by national context.
Description
Keywords
Educational Psychology, Education--Health, Social Structure and Development
Citation
Arguera, N. (2015). The Effects of School Work Pressure on Depression and Substance Use: A Cross-National Study of School-Aged Children in Canada and Finland (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/28116