Assessment of Mental Health Status of Senior Secondary School Children in Delhi

Background. Schoolchildren undergo rapid mental, emotional, and social changes and are susceptible to psychiatric disorders. Objectives. This study aimed to assess the mental health status and some determinants in senior secondary school children in Delhi. Methodology. A cross-sectional study was carried out on a sample of 458 children, selected by 2-stage sampling. Goldberg's General Health Questionnaire containing 60 items (GHQ-60) was used for assessment of mental health. Results. GHQ was administered to 239 boys and 219 girls in the age group of 15 to 20 years. Of 458 students, 113 (24.7%) had a score >= 16, the cutoff score, indicating mental morbidity among them. Among boys and girls, 28.5% and 20.5%, respectively, had some component of mental morbidity. Morbidity was significantly higher in children hailing from nuclear families and among children who had either failed or those who had scored highest in the class. Conclusion. Mental health needs of schoolchildren need to be addressed by the school health services.