Prevalence and association of psychological distress among in-school adolescents in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Evidence from nationwide survey

Abstract

Objectives This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of and factors associated with psychological distress (loneliness, anxiety, and suicidal ideation) among in-school adolescents in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) by comparing overall and sex-stratified data. Methods We used the 2018 Global School-Based Student Health Survey data from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which included 1877 in-school adolescents. Respondents in this cross-sectional study were chosen utilizing a two-stage cluster sampling method. Age-adjusted bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were employed to examine the associations between socio-demographic characteristics, health-risk behaviors, socio-environmental factors, and social distress factors and psychological distress, using SPSS 25.0 (IBM SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA). Results The study revealed that 22.1% of respondents reported feeling lonely, 15.8% experienced anxiety, and 27.0% indicated they had suicidal ideation. Notably, female adolescents had a higher prevalence of loneliness, anxiety, and suicidal ideation compared to males. The study also uncovered significant associations between various factors and psychological distress, including sex, lack of close friends, bullying at school, physical attacks, suicide attempts, and parental support. Additionally, there was a significant association between suicide attempts and psychological distress among both male and female adolescents. Among male adolescents, bullying was significantly associated with psychological distress, while physical attacks were notably related to feelings of loneliness. On the other hand, parental support was identified as a protective factor against loneliness. Interestingly, school truancy appeared to be a protective factor against suicidal ideation in female adolescents, possibly indicating avoidance of unsafe or upsetting school environments. Conclusion Inclusive school environments and school-based mental health services should be urgently prioritized and implemented at schools to support these at-risk adolescents in SVG.