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The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between being bullied and aggressive behavior and self-reported mental health problems among young adolescents. A representative population sample of 2,464 young Norwegian adolescents (50.8% girls) aged 12-15 years was assessed. Being bullied was measured using three items concerning teasing, exclusion, and physical assault. Self-esteem was assessed by Harter's self-perception profile for adolescents. Emotional and behavioral problems were measured by the Moods and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) and the youth self-report (YSR). Aggressive behavior was measured by four items from the YSR. One-tenth of the adolescents reported being bullied, and 5% reported having been aggressive toward others during the past 6 months. More of the students being bullied and students being aggressive toward others reported parental divorce, and they showed higher scores on all YSR subscales and on the MFQ questions, and lower scores on the global self-worth subscale (Harter) than students not being bullied or aggressive. A few differences emerged between the two groups being bullied or being aggressive toward others: those who were aggressive showed higher total YSR scores, higher aggression and delinquency scores, and lower social problems scores, and reported higher scores on the social acceptance subscale (Harter) than bullied students. However, because social problems were demonstrated in both the involved groups, interventions designed to improve social competence and interaction skills should be integrated in antibullying programs.

Aims: Knowledge of sleep problems and their relationships among adolescent psychiatric patients is limited. This study investigated whether adolescents in specialty mental health care differ in rate and correlates of sleep problems from adolescents in a community sample; 2465 adolescents from a community sample were compared with a representative clinical sample of 129 adolescent patients., Methods: Comparisons were made on frequent sleep problems according to scores on the Youth Self-Report, the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire, and instruments assessing coping styles, stresses and family functioning., Results: Sleep problems were more frequent in the clinical sample than the community sample (31.3% vs. 5%). Sleeping little and being overtired were the most common sleep problems. Sleep problems were multivariately associated with internalizing problems in both samples. Poor family functioning and distractive coping were multivariately associated with sleep problems among adolescent patients, whereas depressive symptoms were multivariately associated in community adolescents., Conclusions: Prevalences of sleep problems were high among adolescent patients. However, sleep problems may be in danger of being unnoticed in clinical practice. Clinicians should ask about such problems and be aware of possible connections with family functioning, depression and suicidality. Therapeutic interventions directed towards sleep problems should be considered.

In a representative sample of 2,464 Norwegian adolescents, aged 12-15 years, 7.8% (n= 191) reported reading difficulties (RD). No gender difference was found. Adolescents with RD were compared to classmates on psychosocial variables. In univariate analysis, RD adolescents report higher levels of depressive symptoms, more school stress, worried more about going to school, had lower school grades and lower attachment to parents than those without RD. They also scored lower on Global Self-worth and on Social Acceptance scales. Further, they reported reduced levels of psycho-functioning during the previous year because of mental health problems, they had received more help and had used more medication for such problems. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, receiving help for mental health problems and reduced psycho-functioning showed the strongest associations with student RD status. No gender interactions were found. The study demonstrated important differences between adolescents with and without RD.

Background: The study investigates whether adolescents referred to specialty mental health services from local services differ from adolescents who only have received help for psychiatric problems locally. If so, which factors associate strongest with referral?, Method: Adolescents (n = 76) from an adolescent population sample (N = 2,538) who had received help during the last year for mental problems from local services were compared to a clinical sample of adolescents (N = 129) referred to specialty mental health services from such local services. Comparisons were made according to scores on the Youth Self-Report (YSR); depressive symptoms; family functioning; attachment to parents; self-concept; coping styles; response styles; dysfunctional attitudes; negative life events; daily hassles; socio-demographics., Results: As compared to adolescents receiving help locally, adolescents in specialty mental health care scored higher on YSR internalising syndrome; YSR attention problems; YSR thought problems; suicidality; psychosocial stressors; knowing someone who had attempted suicide; parental divorce; substance use; recent moves; living in lodgings; lost a pal or boy/girlfriend; and lower on attachment to parents. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified four factors associated with receiving specialty mental health care: low family functioning; moved previous year; knowing someone who had attempted suicide; own suicidality., Conclusions: Family functioning as reported by the adolescents, and not mental health problems except for suicidality, was found to be the strongest associated with referral to specialty mental health services. Contrary to findings from many other studies, referral was associated with internalising problems, not externalising ones.

Background: To investigate seasonal variations in telephone calls to a help-line for children, and their correlation to changes in length of day, latitude and age., Method: 691,787 calls to the Red Cross Help-Line in Norway for children in the three-year period 1996-1998 were included., Results: Monthly frequencies of calls deviated significantly from an expected even distribution (chi2=9446.34, df=11, P<0.0001). The frequency curve for calls peaked in April and October and had its lowest level in July and December. Variation was pronounced: the mean number of daily calls varied between 436 in July and 886 in April. There was a strong and positive correlation between the number of calls and the change in length of day across the year (r(s)=0.76, N=12, P<0.01). Increasing latitude correlated positively with the range of the monthly observed/expected ratios of calls (r(s)=0.79, N=7, P<0.05). The frequency of calls was largest among children 12 to 14 years of age. Age correlated negatively with the range of monthly observed/expected ratios of calls (r=-0.94, N=12, P<0.001)., Limitations: Social and cultural factors could not be explored in the design used in the present study., Conclusions: The frequency of calls from children correlates positively with change in length of day (i.e., maximal in spring and fall), and the magnitude of the seasonal variation correlates positively with latitude and negatively with age. Knowledge of seasonal variation in requests for help may have value in planning services for children.