The study, which involved 681 students from 77 schools across Estonia, studied the state of children's mental health, as well as risk and protective factors.

The survey assessed the proportion of young people who have quite often or very often felt unable to cope with overwhelming difficulties. Among young people aged 11–14 and 15+, 22 percent reported struggling with stress management. This proportion was higher in the 15+ age group and lower among 11–14-year-olds. In both groups, girls reported more difficulties coping with stress than boys.

The average sleep duration on school days was 8.3 hours and 9.8 hours on non-school days. Boys slept longer on school days, whereas girls slept longer on non-school days, particularly in the younger age groups.

Children who spoke Estonian at home and were satisfied with their lives slept significantly longer. Typical sleep duration also correlated with household type—children in two-parent households slept longer than those in single-parent households. Additionally, children with siblings slept longer on school days. Among sleep-related factors, school-day sleep duration had the strongest link to mental health indicators — longer sleep was associated with well-being, while insufficient sleep was linked to anxiety, depression, and attention problems.

Children were also asked about their screen time. The study found the older the child, the more they used digital devices. In the youngest age group, the average screen time was 2.3 hours per day, in the middle age group 4 hours per day, and in the oldest age group 4.8 hours per day. No gender differences in screen time duration were found.

When assessing symptoms of depression, the study revealed girls experienced them more frequently than boys. There were no significant correlations to socioeconomic or household factors.

Anxiety, however, showed substantial differences across age groups and genders. Fifteen-year-olds and older experienced more anxiety than younger children, and girls were significantly more anxious than boys. Notably, anxiety levels were higher among children living with both parents compared to those living with a single parent.

Attention problems were slightly more common among children without siblings. They were also more frequent among children who were dissatisfied with their lives. Approximately 5 percent of children had been diagnosed with ADHD, while behavioral problems were observed in 8–10 percent of participants.

There were no significant age group differences in overeating. However, gender differences were evident — boys were more likely to engage in overeating than girls. One-third of 15-year-olds and older reported concerns about excessive eating.

A noticeable gender difference also emerged in self-harm, which was more common among girls than boys.

Financial difficulties affect family relationships

Children's satisfaction with their family relationships declined with age, and girls gave slightly lower ratings than boys. Children from Estonian-speaking families rated their family relationships more positively than average. Family relationships were also linked to financial well-being. Children from families with financial difficulties rated their family relationships lower compared to those from families with average or good financial situations.

Among 8–10-year-olds, family relationships were slightly better in two-parent households.

Children were also asked about difficult family events. The most common were parental divorce, experienced by 25 percent of respondents; the death or serious illness of a family member (32 percent); and parental alcohol problems (13 percent).

Seventy-three percent of students felt they had enough friends, while 7 percent did not. The perception of having enough friends declined with age. In the oldest age group, those with at least one sibling were more likely to feel they had enough friends compared to students without siblings.

In the past month, 35 percent of boys and 30 percent of girls had experienced bullying. Fourteen percent of boys and 15 percent of girls had been bullied online. The experience of bullying decreased with age, but cyberbullying was slightly more common among 11–14-year-olds compared to younger and older students. Both in person and online bullying were slightly more prevalent among students from non-Estonian-speaking families.

Thirty-two percent of boys and 16 percent of girls admitted to having bullied another student in the past month. Among girls, bullying others decreased in the 15+ age group, while among boys, it remained relatively stable across the age groups.

Students in the 15+ age group were also surveyed about school-related burnout. Twenty-seven percent had a high burnout score, and burnout was more common among children whose parents had attained higher education. The study's authors noted that children of highly educated parents may face higher expectations, either from themselves or others, or experience a more demanding learning environment, which may contribute to burnout. However, the mechanisms behind this connection require further research.

The study's authors stressed that, due to the relatively small sample size, the results reflect the situation of the specific study group, and generalizations should be made with caution. They also concluded that systematic monitoring of children's mental health is necessary.

The study was conducted in collaboration between the University of Tartu, the National Institute for Health Development, Turu-uuringute AS, and the Ministry of Social Affairs.

The survey was carried out in schools from February to May 2024.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!