Adolescent mental health is a critical field of research, particularly as the prevalence of mental disorders among youth continues to rise globally. Recent evidence indicates a surge in requests for mental health services, highlighting a growing crisis that mental health centers are struggling to address. Adolescents are navigating a challenging phase of life, often marked by both psychological and physical manifestations of distress. These manifestations include psychiatric symptoms and somatic expressions such as self-harm, eating disorders, gender dysphoria, headaches, and substance abuse. Despite the recognition of these issues, there remains a significant gap in understanding how these physical symptoms relate to underlying mental health conditions. Current studies have begun to explore these connections, but a comprehensive understanding of how adolescents express their suffering through their bodies and how these expressions can inform treatment strategies is still lacking. Addressing this gap is crucial for developing effective prevention, early detection, and intervention strategies.
This research topic aims to delve into the ways in which adolescents express their mental distress through physical symptoms and how these expressions can be interpreted to improve mental health outcomes. The primary objectives include exploring the relationship between adolescents' living conditions and their mental health, understanding the impact of mental suffering on both the body and mind, and identifying how bodily expressions of distress can guide mental health professionals in treatment. By investigating these areas, the research seeks to enhance the effectiveness of mental health interventions and foster collaboration among professionals who interact with adolescents, such as teachers and coaches, to identify early signs of distress.
To gather further insights into the complex interplay between adolescent mental health and physical expressions of distress, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Psychiatric disorders
- Suicidality
- Non-Suicidal Self Injury (NSSI)
- Gender identity
- Headaches
- Eating disorders
- Substance and alcohol abuse
- Internalizing and externalizing symptoms
- Withdrawal
- Prevention
- Treatment
- Assessment
This collection invites a variety of paper types, including Original Research, Reviews, Systematic Reviews, Meta-analysis, Clinical Trials, Case Reports, Community Case Studies, and Study Protocols, to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of this pressing issue.
Keywords: Adolescence, psychopathology, mental health, prevention, assessment, treatment, suicidality, NSSI, gender identity, eating disorders, substance abuse
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
