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The European Journal of Public Health Advance Access published online on April 26, 2006
The European Journal of Public Health, doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckl012
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© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.
Received September 27, 2005
Accepted December 8, 2005

Article

Perceived financial difficulties and maladjustment outcomes in adolescence

Sari Fröjd 1 *, Mauri Marttunen 2, Mirjami Pelkonen 3, Bettina von der Pahlen 4, and Riittakerttu Kaltiala-Heino 5

1 Tampere School of Public Health, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
2 Department of Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland; National Public Health Institute, Finland
3 National Public Health Institute, Finland
4 National Public Health Institute, Finland; University of Åbo Akademi, Turku, Finland
5 Tampere School of Public Health, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland; Department of Adolescent Psychiatry, Tampere University Hospital, Finland

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sari Fröjd, E-mail: sari.frojd{at}uta.fi


  Abstract

Background: Studies using traditional SES indicators in strictly adolescent populations have usually failed to find class differences in adolescent mental health. The present study aimed to find out whether there is an association between adolescent perceived financial difficulties of the family and adolescent maladjustment, and to explore the possible sex differences in this association. Methods: School-based survey on 3278 ninth grade students (15-16 years old) in two economically well developed Finnish cities. Results: One-fifth of the adolescents reported that their family had financial difficulties in the previous 12 months. Perceiving financial difficulties was significantly more common among girls than boys. Perceived financial difficulties were associated with known risk factors of poverty and with depression and harmful drinking patterns in both sexes. Adjusting for parental educational levels, parental unemployment and family structure did not change the significant association with maladjustment outcomes. Additional adjustment with comorbidity, however, levelled out the significance of the association of perceived financial difficulties and harmful drinking patterns in boys. Conclusion: While adolescent perception of financial difficulties is probably associated with the objective financial situation of the family it may also be an indicator of the psychological meaning attached to the situation and should thus be considered a possible risk factor for adolescent maladjustment in clinical practice.

Keywords: adolescent depression; adolescent psychology; family; social class.
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