Table 2 Comparison of study variables in Samples 1 and 2
From: Mental health profiles of Finnish adolescents before and after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic
Sample 1 (2018), N = 3498 | Sample 2 (2022), N = 3838 | Significance | |
|---|---|---|---|
% (n)/M (SD) | % (n)/M (SD) | ||
Socio-demographic characteristics | |||
Gender, female (vs. male) | 49.9 (1726) | 50.6 (1915) | χ2 = 0.39, p = 0.531 |
Mean age | 13.44 (1.69) | 13.21 (1.74) | t(7276) = 5.75, p < 0.001 |
Grade | χ2= 68.12, p < 0.001 | ||
5th | 29.8 (1041) | 37.3 (1432) | p < 0.001d |
7th | 36.6 (1281) | 36.8 (1413) | p > 0.05d |
9th | 33.6 (1176) | 25.9 (993) | p < 0.001d |
Language of instruction, Swedish (vs. Finnish) | 19.8 (691) | 37.1 (1424) | χ2 = 268.44, p < 0.001 |
Relative family affluence | χ2= 0.42, p = 0.812 | ||
Low | 17.8 (610) | 17.9 (680) | p > 0.05d |
Medium | 56.0 (1919) | 55.4 (2108) | p > 0.05d |
High | 26.1 (895) | 26.8 (1019) | p > 0.05d |
Family structure | χ2= 65.34, p < 0.001 | ||
Nuclear family | 74.7 (2508) | 69.3 (2313) | p < 0.001d |
Single-parent family | 13.6 (457) | 21.0 (700) | p < 0.001d |
Step-family | 11.7 (391) | 9.7 (323) | p = 0.009d |
Urban residence (vs. rural) | 55.2 (1911) | 57.1 (2152) | χ2= 2.77, p = 0.096 |
Immigrant background | χ2= 0.79, p = 0.675 | ||
First-generation immigrant | 4.5 (156) | 4.2 (154) | p > 0.05d |
Second-generation immigrant | 7.2 (247) | 6.9 (253) | p > 0.05d |
Native (non-immigrant) | 88.2 (3026) | 88.9 (3256) | p > 0.05d |
Mental health indicators | |||
Psychological complaintsa | χ2= 32.60, p < 0.001 | ||
0 | 57.5 (1986) | 51.2 (1927) | p < 0.001d |
1–2 | 27.3 (942) | 29.6 (1115) | p = 0.026d |
3–4 | 15.2 (525) | 19.1% (719) | p < 0.001d |
Somatic complaintsa | χ2= 28.74, p < 0.001 | ||
0 | 69.2 (2391) | 64.4 (2421) | p < 0.001d |
1–2 | 26.2 (903) | 28.5 (1073) | p = 0.023d |
3–4 | 4.6 (159) | 7.1 (266) | p < 0.001d |
Life satisfaction | 7.72 (1.81) | 7.42 (1.67) | t(6847) = 7.28, p < 0.001 |
High loneliness (vs. low) | 14.8 (503) | 11.2 (420) | χ2 = 20.48, p < 0.001 |
Problematic social media use | χ2= 13.08, p < 0.001 | ||
Normative user | 56.2 (1806) | 52.0 (1737) | p = 0.001d |
Risky user | 34.3 (1102) | 38.5 (1284) | p < 0.001d |
Problematic user | 9.5 (307) | 9.5 (318) | p > 0.05d |
Psychosocial factors | |||
Perceived home atmosphere | 4.31 (0.79) | 4.33 (0.79) | t(6854) = − 0.94, p > 0.05 |
Parental monitoringb | |||
Maternal monitoring | 2.43 (0.45) | 2.51 (0.44) | t(5773) = − 5.99, p < 0.001 |
Paternal monitoring | 2.24 (0.54) | 2.33 (0.55) | t(5548) = − 5.99, p < 0.001 |
Family support | 5.67 (1.67) | 5.60 (1.66) | t(6859) = 1.80, p > 0.05 |
Peer support | 5.42 (1.68) | 5.45 (1.65) | t(6838) = − 0.79, p > 0.05 |
Teacher support | 3.84 (0.95) | 3.96 (0.94) | t(6898) = − 5.27, p < 0.001 |
Classmate support | 3.90 (0.79) | 3.79 (0.86) | t(6946) = 5.19, p < 0.001 |
Perceived school climate | 4.14 (0.88) | 3.97 (0.95) | t(6987) = 7.58, p < 0.001 |
Intensity of online communication | 3.02 (0.85) | 3.05 (0.96) | t(6048) = − 0.92, p > 0.05 |
Other health-related factors | |||
Academic educational expectationsc (vs. vocational) | 64.71 (704) | 58.47 (518) | χ2= 8.07, p = 0.005 |
Health literacyb | χ2= 15.00, p = 0.005 | ||
Low | 10.2 (238) | 8.8 (208) | p > 0.05d |
Moderate | 55.5 (1301) | 61.1 (1446) | p < 0.001d |
High | 34.3 (805) | 30.2 (714) | p = 0.002d |
Self-rated health | x= 31.36, p < 0.001 | ||
Poor | 2.4 (84) | 2.1 (79) | p > 0.05d |
Fair | 13.9 (479) | 12.9 (487) | p > 0.05d |
Good | 60.1 (2074) | 55.7 (2106) | p < 0.001d |
Excellent | 23.6 (813) | 29.4 (1111) | p < 0.001d |