Arica Study Reveals Concerns Over Mental Health Indicators in Girls and Adolescents, Highlighting Need for Emotional Support

Original article: Arica: Estudio muestra preocupantes indicadores de salud mental en niñas y adolescentes y advierte necesidad de apoyo emocional

Nearly 800 schoolchildren aged 8 to 18 from educational institutions in Arica were evaluated in a study conducted by the Psychosocial Inclusion Line of the Educational Justice Center, led by academic and researcher Alejandra Caqueo Urízar from the University of Tarapacá.

The research found that during secondary education, boys exhibited higher levels of aggression and antisocial behavior, while girls faced more significant difficulties with anger management.

Titled «Gender Gaps in Mental Health: Challenges and Opportunities in the Educational Sphere,» the study revealed that, according to Dr. Caqueo, «girls display worse mental health indicators compared to boys, particularly in areas where boys historically scored higher, such as anger control.»

Consequently, the specialist stressed the urgent need for schools to provide support to students from 4th grade to 12th grade, especially for girls.

Moreover, Dr. Caqueo explained that this line of research aims to describe and analyze risk and protective factors associated with the mental health of children and adolescents in the educational context of northern Chile.

«The goal is to guide and promote psychosocial interventions that enhance child and youth well-being, taking into account the specific needs of the Arica and Parinacota Region to foster safe and inclusive school environments,» emphasized Dr. Caqueo.

Additionally, she highlighted that based on the local evidence observed, they aim to influence public policies ensuring the right to mental health for children and adolescents in education, «with the objective of contributing to the creation of healthier and fairer educational spaces.»

Findings: Alarming Physical Discrimination

One concern noted by researchers was the reasons why students perceive discriminatory treatment.

In this regard, the results indicate that most boys and girls feel they are discriminated against based on their height, weight, or other physical characteristics and their age. Here are the details: