MENTAL-HEALTH CONCERNS OF CANADIAN ADOLESCENTS - A CONSUMERS PERSPECTIVE

To evaluate the mental health of adolescent students in Metropolitan T oronto. Method: A survey was developed by adolescents for adolescents to evaluate adolescent mental health. The survey was completed by 486 secondary school students in Metropolitan Toronto. Results: The findin gs of this consumer-directed survey show that the majority of teenager s ale not overwhelmed by, stress and generally exhibit healthy coping behaviours. Violence is identified as an important concern and help-se eking behaviour for mental health issues, when it occurs, is directed primarily towards the family and teachers rather than physicians. Conc lusion: A number of important issues regarding mental illness, includi ng its identification and treatment, were not considered by teens to b e part of their mental health concerns. The implications of these find ings for the development of community-based mental health programs for adolescents are discussed.