NeuRA researchers uncover critical, often overlooked factor in mental health research

July 1, 2024
Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA)

Measuring wellbeing alongside measures of psychological distress will paint a more accurate and thorough picture of mental health, found scientists at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and UNSW Sydney.

In a new study, published today in Frontiers in Psychiatry, scientists have developed and validated an effective measure for mental wellbeing among adolescents, a factor that has traditionally been left out of mental health research.

The latest results found that adolescents who have clinical symptoms of mental ill-health or neurodevelopmental conditions, for example those who have been diagnosed with anxiety or depression, or ADHD, don’t necessarily score low on mental wellbeing. Likewise, those who are not clinically diagnosed with these conditions don’t necessarily score highly for mental wellbeing.