UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

Mental health difficulties, attainment and attendance: a cross‑sectional study

Lereya, T; Santos, J; Patel, M; Deighton, JJ; (2019) Mental health difficulties, attainment and attendance: a cross‑sectional study. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry , 28 pp. 1147-1152. 10.1007/s00787-018-01273-6. Green open access

[thumbnail of Lereya_Attainment and attendance manuscript - Revisions v4.pdf]
Preview
Text
Lereya_Attainment and attendance manuscript - Revisions v4.pdf - Accepted Version

Download (128kB) | Preview

Abstract

Evidence for the association between mental health difficulties and academic outcomes is sparse and shows mixed results. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between educational attainment, absenteeism and mental health difficulties while controlling for various child characteristics such as special educational needs and socioeconomic background. 15,301 Year 7 pupils (mean age 11.91; SD = 0.28) from England completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Attainment, persistent absenteeism and child characteristics were derived from the National Pupil Database. Multilevel regression analysis showed that mental health difficulties were negatively associated with attainment and positively associated with persistent absenteeism. When all mental health difficulties were modelled simultaneously, behavioural difficulties, hyperactivity/attention difficulties and difficulties with peers were negatively associated with attainment. Emotional difficulties and hyperactivity/attention difficulties were positively associated with persistent absenteeism. The results of the current study highlight the importance of integration between mental health support and policy creation in relation to mental health difficulties and wellbeing in schools.

Type: Article
Title: Mental health difficulties, attainment and attendance: a cross‑sectional study
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1007/s00787-018-01273-6
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-018-01273-6
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Mental health difficulties, Attainment, Absenteeism
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences > Clinical, Edu and Hlth Psychology
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10065910
Downloads since deposit
796Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item