title: Teachers' assessments of children aged eight predict life satisfaction in adolescence.
abstract: The objective was to investigate how teachers' assessments of children predict life satisfaction in adolescence. This is a prospective cohort study on the population-based Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (n = 8,959). Information was gathered from parents, teachers and adolescents using questionnaires at the age of 7, 8 and 15. Response rates were 80-90%. Emotional and behavioural problems were assessed with Rutter Children's Behavioural Questionnaires for teachers (RB2) and parents (RA2) during the first grade at age 8. At adolescence, self-reported life satisfaction was measured with a question including five response alternatives. According to teachers' assessments, 13.9% of the children had high emotional or behavioural problems (RB2 ≥9). These assessments predicted life dissatisfaction in adolescence (OR(crude) = 1.77; 95% CI 1.43-2.20) in several models including also health behaviour and use of psychotropic medicine. However, introducing all the significant variables in the same model, RB2 lost its significance (OR = 1.28; 0.96-1.70), but good school achievement assessed by teachers was still a significant predictor. Life satisfaction in adolescence was associated with a variety of favourable concurrent factors. In conclusion teachers' assessments of children during the first school year predicted life satisfaction in adolescence. In mental health promotion, teachers' early assessments should be utilized for the benefit of children.
authors.affiliation: School of Applied Science and Teacher Education, University of Eastern Finland, Hautalahdenkatu 10 B, 70820 Kuopio, Savonlinna, Finland. meri.honkanen@pieksamaki.fi
authors.forename: Meri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Honkanen
authors.forename: Honkanen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meri
authors.forename: Tuula
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hurtig
authors.forename: Hurtig
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tuula
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taanila
authors.forename: Taanila
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Anja
authors.forename: Irma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Moilanen
authors.forename: Moilanen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Irma
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koponen
authors.forename: Koponen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hannu
authors.forename: Pirjo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mäki
authors.forename: Mäki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pirjo
authors.forename: Juha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Veijola
authors.forename: Veijola
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Juha
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Puustjärvi
authors.forename: Puustjärvi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Anita
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ebeling
authors.forename: Ebeling
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.forename: Heli
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koivumaa-Honkanen
authors.forename: Koivumaa-Honkanen
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Heli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004522:Educational Status; D005178:Faculty; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012574:Schools; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires