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Researchers from the University of Helsinki, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, the University of Jyväskylä, and the University of Manchester have discovered that mental disorders may spread within the social networks formed by school classes. Utilizing comprehensive population-wide registry data, this groundbreaking study is the largest and most comprehensive to date on this topic.
The study involved over 700,000 ninth-grade pupils from 860 Finnish schools. These adolescents were monitored from the end of ninth grade for a median period of 11 years. The researchers found a significant association between the number of classmates diagnosed with a mental disorder and the risk of receiving a mental disorder diagnosis later in life.
“The observed link was the strongest during the first year of follow-up in the study. This was not explained by a number of factors related to parents, school, and residential area. The link was most pronounced in the case of mood, anxiety, and eating disorders,” explained Associate Professor Christian Hakulinen of the University of Helsinki.
Research Enabled by Comprehensive Finnish Registers
According to Hakulinen, prior studies have shown similar trends, such as American researchers noting the potential transmission of depressive symptoms within social networks. However, these studies often involved self-selected social networks, introducing potential bias. In contrast, school classes provide a more reliable social network for research, as students typically do not choose their classmates.
“Defining the social networks and following adolescents were made possible by extensive Finnish registers. The findings significantly deepen our understanding of how mental health problems develop and affect other people in our social networks,” said Hakulinen.
Hakulinen emphasized that the observed connection does not necessarily imply causation. The study did not investigate the mechanisms of how mental disorders might spread between individuals. He suggested that the presence of diagnosed individuals in one’s social network might lower the threshold for seeking help for mental health issues, potentially leading to a beneficial normalization of diagnosis and treatment.
Implications for Preventive Measures
Mental disorders pose a significant global challenge, impacting individuals, society, and the economy. Anxiety and mood symptoms, in particular, have been increasing among young people in recent years. Previous research indicates that about half of all mental disorders in adults begin before the age of 18.
Hakulinen highlighted the importance of preventive measures and early intervention. “When taking preventive measures, it’s worthwhile considering that mental disorders can spread from one adolescent to another,” he said.
The study tracked a total of 713,809 Finnish citizens born between 1985 and 1997. The adolescents were followed from the end of comprehensive school until their first mental disorder diagnosis, relocation from the country, or death. The follow-up period ended in 2019, with a median duration of 11.4 years.
This extensive research underscores the need for addressing mental health within the context of social networks, especially in schools, to better understand and mitigate the spread of mental disorders among adolescents.
