LONGTRENDS

LONGTRENDS (external link) is a research project at the University of Bergen that aims to increase the understanding of social inequalities in mental health in a life course perspective, with a focus on adolescence. Using four different data sources from the HEMIL Institute and the Department of Social Psychology at the University of Bergen, we will map societal trends in mental health and the importance of a number of social factors for the development of mental health.

A worrying number of children, adolescents and young adults develop mental health problems. There are especially many vulnerable people among those who grow up in low-income families or where the parents have a lower education, which is often referred to as social inequality in mental health. Material factors, psychosocial conditions and behavioral patterns in childhood help to establish guidelines for health, living conditions and participation in society later in life. Some children and young people may be vulnerable to transitions and life events such as changing schools, moving away from home, or their parents divorcing. For a number of children and adolescents, such incidents result in the loss of social support, networks and fewer financial resources. Some also develop behavioral patterns that may pose a health risk. Conclusively, transitions and life events can contribute to reinforcing social inequalities in health.

The aim of the project is to increase the understanding of social inequalities in mental health in a life course perspective. We will map societal trends in mental health among young people with different socio-economic backgrounds and examine the role that factors such as social support, family structure, gender, and major life events and transitions play in these contexts. We also want to develop more precise methods for measuring young people’s socio-economic status. To achieve these goals, we will use data from four studies of Norwegian youth and their parents, conducted in the period from 1980-2020. The studies allow us to follow the participants’ development from childhood and into higher education and working life, and also to examine how social background is related to mental health in different time periods.

The project is funded by The Research Council of Norway and is a collaboration between the HEMIL Institute, the Department of Social Psychology at the Faculty of Psychology, the University of Bergen, the University of Glasgow and the Universidade de Lisboa.