Students’ psychological ill-being from primary school to upper secondary education : profiles, antecedents, and outcomes
Abstract
Tässä kolmesta tutkimuksesta koostuvassa väitöskirjassa käsiteltiin opiskelijoiden psyykkistä pahoinvointia selvittämällä pahoinvointiprofiileja sekä psyykkisen pahoinvoinnin ennakoivia tekijöitä ja seurauksia. Ensimmäisenä tavoitteena oli tunnistaa toiseen asteen opiskelijoiden joukosta erilaisia psyykkisen pahoinvoinnin ryhmiä (Tutkimus 1). Lisäksi tarkasteltiin mahdollisia sukupuolieroja sekä sitä, eroavatko lukiolaiset ja ammattiin opiskelevat toisistaan. Toisena tavoitteena oli tarkastella toisen asteen opiskelijoiden koulu-uupumusoireilun taustalla olevia kehityspolkuja ja ennakoivia tekijöitä (Tutkimus 2). Kolmantena tavoitteena oli tarkastella psyykkisen pahoinvoinnin seurauksia. Pyrkimyksenä oli selvittää psyykkisen pahoinvoinnin yhteyttä koulutuksen keskeyttämiseen liittyviin aikomuksiin toisella asteella (Tutkimus 1) sekä sitä, miten peruskouluaikainen koulu-uupumusoireilu on yhteydessä masennusoireiluun toisella asteella ja masennuslääkkeiden käyttöön peruskoulun jälkeen ikävuosina 16–20 (Tutkimus 3). Väitöskirjatutkimuksessa opiskelijoita seurattiin alakoulusta aikuisuuden kynnykselle eli ikävuosien 12–20 ajan. Tarkastellut luokka-asteet olivat kuudennes, seitsemännes ja yhdeksännes luokka sekä toisen asteen opintojen ensimmäinen vuosi. Osallistujamäärä vaihteli tutkimuksissa välillä 673 ja 2889. Väitöskirjan tulokset osoittivat ensiksi, että toisen asteen opiskelijoiden psyykkinen pahoinvointi ilmenee eri tavoin, sillä opiskelijoiden joukosta tunnistettiin neljä erilaista pahoinvointiprofiilia. Lisäksi profiileissa ilmeni sukupuolieroja sekä eroja lukiolaisten ja ammattiin opiskelevien välillä. Toiseksi tulokset osoittivat, että koulu-uupumusoireet peruskoulussa voivat lisätä riskiä koulu-uupumukseen toisella asteella. Lisäksi erilaisia koulu-uupumusta ennakoivia tekijöitä (sisäänpäin suuntautunut oireilu, matalampi itsetunto, heikommat aritmetiikan taidot ja paremmat lukemisen taidot) tunnistettiin kuudennella luokalla. Kolmanneksi tulokset osoittivat, että psyykkinen pahoinvointi on yhteydessä koulutuksen keskeyttämiseen liittyviin aikomuksiin sekä pahoinvointiin aikuisuuden kynnyksellä. Väitöskirjatutkimuksen perustella on selvää, että koulupolun varhaisiin vaiheisiin on syytä kohdistaa tukitoimia psyykkisen pahoinvoinnin kierteen katkaisemiseksi.
This dissertation consists of three studies that examined students’ psychological ill-being and its profiles, antecedents, and outcomes. The first aim was to examine the way psychological ill-being in terms of school burnout symptoms, depressive symptoms, and conduct problems is manifested among upper secondary education students, and whether gender and educational track are related with the profiles of psychological ill-being (Study I). The second aim was to examine the developmental trajectories and early antecedents that underlie upper secondary education students’ school burnout symptoms (Study II). The third aim was to examine the outcomes of students’ psychological ill-being in terms of school dropout intentions in upper secondary education (Study I) and mental health problems in late adolescence (Study III). The same students were followed in different stages of their school path: from the end of primary school (Grade 6, age 12) through lower secondary school (Grades 7 and 9, age 13–15) and upper secondary education (first year of studies, age 16) until the age of 20. The number of participants varied between studies from 673 to 2,889. The findings showed, firstly, that upper secondary education students’ psychological ill-being can manifest in various ways, as four different profiles of the symptoms of psychological ill-being were identified. The likelihood to show a certain profile varied depending on gender and educational track (i.e., academic versus vocational). Secondly, there was continuity in students’ psychological ill-being, as school burnout symptoms in comprehensive school increased the risk for subsequent school burnout symptoms during upper secondary education. Additionally, various risk factors (i.e., internalizing symptoms, self-esteem, academic skills) evident at the end of primary school predicted higher levels of school burnout symptoms in upper secondary education. Thirdly, the findings demonstrated that students’ psychological ill-being can have concerning outcomes as symptoms are linked to school dropout intentions and the risk of mental health problems (i.e., depressive symptoms and the use of antidepressants) later in life. Overall, the findings suggest that attention should be paid to the early steps of the educational path in order to tackle the development of psychological ill-being and prevent problems related to it.
This dissertation consists of three studies that examined students’ psychological ill-being and its profiles, antecedents, and outcomes. The first aim was to examine the way psychological ill-being in terms of school burnout symptoms, depressive symptoms, and conduct problems is manifested among upper secondary education students, and whether gender and educational track are related with the profiles of psychological ill-being (Study I). The second aim was to examine the developmental trajectories and early antecedents that underlie upper secondary education students’ school burnout symptoms (Study II). The third aim was to examine the outcomes of students’ psychological ill-being in terms of school dropout intentions in upper secondary education (Study I) and mental health problems in late adolescence (Study III). The same students were followed in different stages of their school path: from the end of primary school (Grade 6, age 12) through lower secondary school (Grades 7 and 9, age 13–15) and upper secondary education (first year of studies, age 16) until the age of 20. The number of participants varied between studies from 673 to 2,889. The findings showed, firstly, that upper secondary education students’ psychological ill-being can manifest in various ways, as four different profiles of the symptoms of psychological ill-being were identified. The likelihood to show a certain profile varied depending on gender and educational track (i.e., academic versus vocational). Secondly, there was continuity in students’ psychological ill-being, as school burnout symptoms in comprehensive school increased the risk for subsequent school burnout symptoms during upper secondary education. Additionally, various risk factors (i.e., internalizing symptoms, self-esteem, academic skills) evident at the end of primary school predicted higher levels of school burnout symptoms in upper secondary education. Thirdly, the findings demonstrated that students’ psychological ill-being can have concerning outcomes as symptoms are linked to school dropout intentions and the risk of mental health problems (i.e., depressive symptoms and the use of antidepressants) later in life. Overall, the findings suggest that attention should be paid to the early steps of the educational path in order to tackle the development of psychological ill-being and prevent problems related to it.
Main Author
Format
Theses
Doctoral thesis
Published
2025
Series
ISBN
978-952-86-0480-8
Publisher
Jyväskylän yliopisto
The permanent address of the publication
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-86-0480-8Use this for linking
ISSN
2489-9003
Language
English
Published in
JYU Dissertations
Contains publications
- Artikkeli I: Parviainen, M., Aunola, K., Torppa, M., Poikkeus, A.-M., & Vasalampi, K. (2020). Symptoms of psychological ill-being and school dropout intentions among upper secondary education students : a person-centered approach. Learning and Individual Differences, 80, Article 101853. DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2020.101853
- Artikkeli III: Parviainen, M., Aunola, K., Torppa, M., Lerkkanen, M.-K., Poikkeus, A.-M., & Vasalampi, K. (2021). Early Antecedents of School Burnout in Upper Secondary Education : A Five-year Longitudinal Study. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 50(2), 231-245. DOI: 10.1007/s10964-020-01331-w
- Artikkeli III: Parviainen, M., Aunola, K., Torppa, M., Koskenvuo, K., Saarikallio-Torp, M., Poikkeus, A.-M., & Vasalampi, K. (2024). Symptoms of school burnout in comprehensive school and mental health problems in late adolescence. Submitted manuscript.
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