Mental Health Problems and Lifestyle Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Migrant and Native School Children

Objective: The aim of this study is to examine mental health problems, lifestyle behaviors, and related factors among school children. Methods: The study employed a descriptive and correlational design. The participants consisted of 544 school children of Turkish and Syrian origin attending schools in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas of Istanbul. Data were collected with the descriptive form, the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders-SCARED, the depression scale for children, and the adolescent lifestyle scale. Results: Among the participants, 51% were girls, 9% were of Syrian origin, and the majority were 5th-grade school children (37%). The mean age was 12.9 ± 0.84 years (range: 10–13). Oral and dental health problems were reported in 61% of children, and 11% were identified as obese. Significant negative correlations were observed between healthy lifestyle behaviors and depression and anxiety, particularly in relation to school phobia, interpersonal relationships, positive lifestyle, and stress management (p=0.01). As depression scores increased, total anxiety and subdimensions panic disorder, school phobia, and generalized anxiety also increased. While 76% of the overall sample scored above the depression cutoff, a high proportion of Syrian children (71%), representing a small subgroup, scored above the anxiety cutoff. Conclusion: This study shows that mental health problems and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors are alarmingly common among school-aged children, particularly in migrant groups. National studies are needed for early identification, and school-based health promotion programs should be implemented through multidisciplinary collaboration and supported by national health policies.