title: Delayed school progression and mental health problems in adolescence: a population-based study in 10,803 adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Accumulating evidence suggests that several adult mental disorders, particularly psychoses, are preceded by impairments in cognitive function, reflected in scholastic underachievement. This study investigates the association between scholastic underachievement and general mental health problems in adolescence, using delay in school progression as a marker of poor scholastic performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional secondary school survey comprising 10,803 adolescents. Participants completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to assess mental health problems. The association of delayed school progression with the SDQ was investigated using logistic regression with SDQ as outcome and delayed school progression as primary exposure of interest while adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics, adverse life events, school-related factors, risk taking behaviour, healthy lifestyle and physical health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Unadjusted analysis showed an association between delayed school progression and total mental health problems (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.27-2.63) in adolescents. After adjusting for other risk factors (socio-demographic factors and life events) in a logistic regression model the association between delayed school progression en mental health problems was attenuated (OR 1.33, 95% CI 0.86-2.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Delayed school progression is associated with general mental health problems in adolescence, but this relationship is heavily confounded by other factors. A causal relationship between impaired cognitive function such as poor scholastic performance and general mental health at adolescence is less likely and delayed school progression may merely be considered an indicator of risk for mental health problems.
authors.affiliation: Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. w.tempelaar@umcutrecht.nl.
authors.forename: Wanda M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Tempelaar
authors.forename: Christiaan P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Otjes
authors.forename: Clothilde J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bun
authors.forename: Carolien M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Plevier
authors.forename: Willemijn A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: van Gastel
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: MacCabe
authors.forename: René S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kahn
authors.forename: Marco P M
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Boks
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008603:Mental Health; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools; D012917:Social Adjustment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014477:Underachievement