Teenagers with classmates having mental illness at significantly greater risk of psychiatric diagnosis later in life: JAMA
Researchers have found that mental disorders may be transmitted within adolescent peer networks. This inference comes from a comprehensive population-based study conducted in Finland, examining the potential influence of having classmates with mental disorders on one's own mental health. The study was published in JAMA Psychiatry and was conducted by Jussi Alho and colleagues.
Previous studies have indicated the possibility of mental disorders being transmitted within social networks. However, these studies often lacked broad epidemiologic evidence that spans a wide range of mental disorders. To address this gap, researchers conducted an extensive analysis of Finnish adolescents, linking demographic, health, and educational data. The objective was to determine whether exposure to classmates diagnosed with mental disorders in the ninth grade is associated with an increased risk of developing a mental disorder later in life.
The study included data on all Finnish citizens born between January 1, 1985, and December 31, 1997. Participants were followed from approximately age 16 (the end of ninth grade) until they were diagnosed with a mental disorder, emigrated, died, or until December 31, 2019. The exposure measured was having one or more classmates diagnosed with a mental disorder in ninth grade. The main outcome was being diagnosed with a mental disorder during the follow-up period.
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