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Section 8. Social psychology
https://doi.org/10.29013/EJEAP-23-2-74-78
Yuntong Chu,
Canterbury School, New Milford, Connecticut, United States of America
SCL COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH REPORT
Abstract. SCL-90 is a useful scale to test ifpeople are suffering from mental health problems. We can use this scale to see if people around us have mental health problems and give them mental help and support.
1. What factors can cause people to have mental health problems
a. What are the factors
b. Why these factors can cause mental health problems
2. How mental health problems affect people
a. From the aspects of physical illness and mental health
i. From the perspective of daily life
ii. From the perspective of academic or business
iii. From the perspective of interpersonal relationship
3. Methods of SCL-90 Testing
a. What is SCL-90 Testing
b. From what aspects does this scale detect people's mental health
c. How does this scale work
4. The results of the survey's data (I will make a simplified version of the SCL-90 and send it to people around me to fill in the questionnaire, and finally get the data)
a. Analyze the data in different age groups
i. The total test results for different age groups
ii. The mean test results for different age groups
b. Summarize the anxiety levels and aspects of people in different age groups i. Put the statistical tables
5. How to help those with mental health disorders
a. From the perspective of the disorders themselves
b. From the perspective of the people around the disorders
i. School or work places
ii. Families
iii. Friends
c. From the perspective of social atmosphere
6. Conclusion: The total score of the population of 41-50 years old is the highest because people in this age range answer the survey the most. The mean score of the populations of over 61 years old are the highest. The mean score of the population of under 30 years old is also greater than 60.
Keywords: SCL-90, Mental health, Anxiety, Depressive disorder, Press, Psychology, Society.
What causes a Mental Health Problem and how it can affect a person's life?
SCL Comprehensive Mental Health Report Introduction
With the acceleration oflife rhythm, the increase of work pressure, and other influences, people's psychological accumulation pressure also increases. In the more than three years since the outbreak of the Covid-19, many people have suffered from anxiety and depression due to psychological problems and emotional fluctuations. Therefore, in order to help everyone understand the current situation of psychology, it is very necessary to improve the psychological environment in a targeted manner. For this research, I conducted a comprehensive mental health test using the self-rating symptom scale SCL-90, and further analyzed the test results.
What factors can cause people to have mental health problems
Most mental illnesses have a variety ofcauses, called risk factors. The more risk factors a person has, the more likely he is to develop a mental health condition.
Here are some examples of risk factors. Environment, which means living in a stressful environment can strain your mental health such as having an abusive family put a lot of stress on your brain and often trigger mental health concerns; unhealthy habits, like not getting enough sleep, or not eating; negative thoughts, which means constantly putting yourself down or expecting the worst can get you stuck in a cycle ofdepres-sion or anxiety (What causes mental illness?); and early adverse life experiences, such as trauma or a history of abuse (for example, child abuse, sexual assault, witnessing violence, etc.) (About Mental Health).
How mental health problems affect people Mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in the United States. More than 50%
will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime (About Mental Health). If one person has mental health disorders, in his daily life, his mood will gradually become depressed and his behavior will become extreme. Eventually, he may lose the ability to live by himself. Negative emotions may keep him from engaging in the things he wants to do in his work or school, even though he desperately wants to accomplish something. In his interpersonal communication, he may gradually lose interest in communicating with others, so that when people around him want to help him talk to him, they are powerless.
In the short-term, mental health problems can cause people to be alienated from their peers because of perceived unattractive personality traits or behaviors. They can also cause anger, fear, sadness and feelings of helplessness if the person does not know or understand what is happening. In the long-term, mental health disorders can drive a person to commit suicide (Mental Health Problem Symptoms, Causes and Effects).
What is SCL-90
When we feel depressed, how should we correctly judge whether we are suffering from mental illness and protect ourselves? SCL-90 can help that. Self-rating symptom scale SCL-90 is one of the most famous mental health test scales in the world, and it is the most widely used mental disorder and mental illness check scale. The ten factors of the SCL-90 test are: somatization, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, terror, paranoia, psychosis and others. The purpose of the test is to assess whether a person has a certain psychological symptom and its severity from various perspectives such as emotion, thinking, consciousness, behavior, living habits, and interpersonal relationships. It can distinguish people with psycho-
logical symptoms who are likely to be at or on the verge of a psychological disorder. How does SCL-90 work There are 90 self-rated items in SCL-90. In order to improve the efficiency of the test and to combine it with practice, I consulted many people and merged a few of the 90 items, and determined 35 self-rated items. It includes 4 items of somatization, 5 items of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, 4 items of interpersonal sensitivity, 10 items of depression, 3 items of anxiety, 2 items of hostility, 2 items of suicide, 2 items of bigotry, and 3 items of psychoticism.
SCL-90 scale adopts a 5-level scoring standard of 1-5 points. From 1 point for asymptomatic to 5
3703
points for severe symptoms, in order. The total score is the total score of 35 items. If the total score exceeds 62 points, it means the tested person may have some psychological disorder. In addition, if any factor scores more than 2 points, it is positive, which indicates that there may be psychological barriers represented by this factor.
I randomly tested five age groups of 16-30 years old, 31-40 years old, 41-50 years old, 51-60 years old and over 61 years old.
Result
A total of 214 test results were received. After calculation, the total score was 11234 points, with an average score of 52.50 points.
3578
712$
1267
5SS
Under 30 31-40 years o!d -50 years old years ofd Over 61 years of age
i Total score
Figure 1. Total score of tests in different age groups
41-50 yeare old £ven shart
Figure 2. Mean score of tests in different age groups
The results of the tests of different groups were as follows:
1. Received 21 results from the group under 30 years old. The total score is 1267. The average score is 60.33.
2. Received 42 results from the group 31-40 years old. The total score is 2128. The average score is 50.67.
3. Received 72 results from the group 41-50 years old, with a total score of 3703. The average score is 51.43.
4. Received 70 results from the group 51-60 years old, with a total score of 3578. The average score is 51.11.
5. Received 9 results from the group over 61 years old, with a total score of 558. The average score is 62.
Conclusion
The total score ofthe population of41-50 years old is the highest because people in this age range answer the survey the most. The mean score ofthe populations ofover 61 years old are the highest, which means these people may have the highest percent that get the psychological disorder. The mean score of the population of under 30 years old is also greater than 60. The mean scores ofthe other three populations are all around 50.
Discussion
According to the figure, the mean scores of the populations of under 30 years old and over 61 years old are higher than 60. They are the youngest and oldest groups, and the ones we need to pay the most attention to. The younger group may not realize that they have mental health problems under the pressure of study and work, while the older group may also have psychological problems due to the negligence of their children. Therefore, we need to communicate with them more, take them out for a walk and soothe their emotions. At the same time, we also need to remind them to relax their minds at all times and do things they like and want to do. In today's stressful society where everyone is being pushed, it's important to stay in good spirits.
What's more, we must remind all people suffering from mental health problems some precautions: eat to beat inflammation; get moving; manage your weight; get enough sleep; stop smoking; limit alcohol use; and conquer chronic stress (The mental health crisis among children and teens: How parents can help). Furthermore, what we should do are: DO Listen with an open mind; DO Ask Questions; DON'T Say you know how they feel if you don't; DO Encourage them to seek help; DON'T Question their medical decisions; D O Help out with daily tasks; DON'T Pressure them to "stay busy"; and DO Be Patient.
Finally, we found that in this test, 40 people had a total score of more than 62 points, and adolescents accounted for the highest proportion. Factors that can contribute to stress during adolescence include exposure to adversity, pressure to conform with peers and exploration of identity. Media influence and gender norms can exacerbate the disparity between an adolescent's lived reality and their perceptions or aspirations for the future. Other important determinants include the quality of their home life and relationships with peers. Violence (especially sexual violence and bullying), harsh parenting and severe and socioeconomic problems are recognized risks to mental health (Adolescent mental health). They belong to the group that needs special attention. Failure to address adolescent mental health issues at the outset can stay with them throughout their lives, compromising their physical and mental health and limiting their opportunities to live fulfilling lives later in life. Therefore, we must take care of them more. It is useful for building strong bonds and relationships with teachers and friends at school, at home and in the community that provides youth with a sense of connectedness (Mental Health). In the school, teachers must link students to mental health services; integrate social emotional learning; support their mental health; review discipline policies to ensure equity; and build safe and supportive environments (Mental Health). In
the home, parents must communicate openly and honestly; supervise their adolescent to facilitate healthy decision-making; spend time with their adolescent enjoying shared activities; and become engaged in school activities and help with homework (Mental Health). For healthcare providers, they must encourage positive parenting practices; engage parents in discussions about how to connect with their adolescents; and monitor activities and health behaviors (Mental Health).
In short, through the SCL-90 test, we found that we should pay more attention to the physical and mental health ofyoung people in adolescence and elderly people in menopause, guide them with love and patience, and maintain more communication to help them face life, difficulties and the future positively. Besides, if you think that you may have a mental health problem, get help. Please learn about the disorder, practice self-care, and reach out to family and friends (Living Well with Serious Mental Illness).
References:
1. "What causes mental illness? - MHA Screening." n.d. MHA Screening. URL: https://screening.mhana-tional.org/content/what-causes-mental-illness/ Accessed March 9, 2023.
2. CDC. 2021. "About Mental Health." CDC. URL: https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm. Access March 9, 2023.
3. "Mental Health Problem Symptoms, Causes and Effects - PsychGuides.com." n.d. PsychGuides.com. URL: https://www.psychguides.com/mental-health-disorders/ Accessed March 9, 2023.
4. Mc Carthy, Claire. 2022. "The mental health crisis among children and teens: How parents can help." Harvard Health. URL: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-mental-health-crisis-among-children-and-teens-how-parents-can-help-202203082700/ Accessed March 9, 2023.
5. "Adolescent mental health." 2021. World Health Organization (WHO). URL: https://www.who.int/ news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health/ Accessed March 9, 2023.
6. CDC. n.d. "Mental Health | DASH." CDC. URL: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/mental-health/ index.htm. Accessed March 9, 2023.
7. "Living Well with Serious Mental Illness." 2022. SAMHSA. URL: https://www.samhsa.gov/serious-mental-illness/ Accessed March 9, 2023.
8. Sereda Yuliia. 2016. "Validity assessment of the symptom checklist SCL-90-R and shortened versions for the general population in Ukraine - BMC Psychiatry." BMC Psychiatry. URL: https://bmcpsychiatry. biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-016-1014-3/ Accessed March 9, 2023.
Appendix
Simplified Version of SCL-90 Scale: URL: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1R3qLLNq5CiPNFvDGQ FA3YxAZdyuN0S_dsmxs-n5hYoQ/edit?usp=sharing
