Research sheds light on young people’s mental health
Depression was the most common mental-health disorder among young people using psychiatric services in Dubai, a study found.
Specialists from Zayed University, Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital and Rashid Hospital found almost half of those under 20 who received professional help were Emiratis.
Their average age was 15. Researchers focused on young people’s understanding of mental-health services.
Data was collected from Rashid Hospital Child Psychiatry Service and records of patients aged 12 to 19 from 2011 to 2016 were analysed. The results were published in the International Journal of Mental Health Systems.
Of the 99 patients whose records were checked, 47 per cent were Emirati, 22 per cent were from other Middle Eastern countries, 13 per cent were from elsewhere in Asia, 10 per cent were African and the rest were European, American or Australian.
Depressive disorder was the most common diagnosis in the sample analysed, followed by bipolar and related disorders, and anxiety.
Schizophrenia, a serious disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally, and other forms of psychosis were also seen in patients.
Although not involved with the research, counsellor Marie Byrne, who runs a wellness clinic in Dubai, said the study exposed familiar trends.
“The research shows young Emiratis are well equipped to acknowledge their identity and seek help,” she said.
“Peer interaction is very important and we have seen young people struggle when they were unable to do that during periods of the pandemic.
“It usually takes less time for [young people] to overcome the mental-health challenges they face.”
Young people of other nationalities were more likely to report relationships with friends as a source of stress.
Young women were more likely to confide in family members and receive a diagnosis of depression.
Poor family relationships led more people to seek professional help, and non-Emirati youths were more likely to discuss concerns with friends, the research found.
The study said more needed to be done to teach young males how to spot early signs of poor mental health.
Ms Byrne said parents can spot early warning signs of depression, such as a reluctance to engage in family activities and a desire to spend time alone.
“If a young person does not communicate, that can be a red flag,” she said.
MindTales, a tech start-up in Abu Dhabi, aims to offer specific mental-health solutions for young people. The company’s app offers mental-health support in Arabic and English.
“The app allows users to monitor their progress and detect mental-health warning signs early on,” said Viktorija Aksionova, the company’s chief executive.
MindTales is conducting clinical trials with the Abu Dhabi Health Services Companyand universities to understand more about the demands of mental health in young people.