The perception of adolescent girls from the earthquake affected area on the mental health of young people

Cilj ovog kvalitativnog istraživanja je steći uvid u doživljaj poteškoća mentalnog zdravlja mladih iz perspektive adolescentica iz potresom pogođenog područja. Mentalno zdravlje mladih koji su doživjeli potres narušenije je od mentalnog zdravlja njihovih vršnjaka bez tog iskustva. Zanimljivo je proučavati na koji način percepciju mentalnog zdravlja kod sudionica oblikuje iskustvo potresa te koje druge čimbenike specifične za adolescenciju poput obiteljskih okolnosti, vršnjačkih odnosa i školskog okruženja, sudionice percipiraju važnima. Glavne spoznaje dobivene iz rasprava u fokusnim grupama obuhvaćaju načine prepoznavanja i razumijevanja poteškoća mentalnog zdravlja mladih, iznošenje potreba mladih u brizi za mentalno zdravlje, percepciju postojeće formalne podrške mentalnom zdravlju i preporuke adolescentica za unapređenje formalne podrške. Osim toga, ističe se značaj iskustva potresa za sudionice, s jedne strane kao percipiranog okidača problema mentalnog zdravlja kod mladih, a s druge strane kao izmijenjenih okolnosti života mladih u zajednici pogođenoj potresom. Ovaj rad prikaz je razmišljanja i stajališta sudionica koje su ispričale svoju percepciju toga kako je biti adolescent danas u gradu pogođenom potresom, u zajednici sa svojim problemima, uz roditelje koji često ne razumiju i ne čuju same mlade, pod pritiskom društvenih mreža, uz školu koja je često izvor stresa i prijatelje koji ponekad to nisu. Ističu značaj podrške, toplog pristupa, povjerenja, razumijevanja i prihvaćanja kako od roditelja tako i od stručnjaka te normalizaciju traženja pomoći za poteškoće mentalnog zdravlja u svojoj okolini. Njihovi uvidi značajan su putokaz za stručnjake koji pozivaju na promjene na razini pristupa, na razini konkretnih sadržaja, ali i na razini svjesnosti o svemu onome što je adolescentima važno.Main goal of this qualitative research is to gain insight in adolescent's mental health difficulties experience from perspective of adolescent girls in earthquake affected area. Mental health of adolescents who experienced an earthquake is more damaged than of those who did not. It is interesting to find out how perception of mental health was affected by earthquake experience, and how much were our participants focused on some other factors like family circumstances, peer relationships and school environment, all specific for adolescence. Main knowledge from focus groups disccusions include ways of recognizing mental health difficulties, expressing the needs of young people in mental health care, perception of existing formal support and recommendations for improving formal mental health support. Also, the earthquake experience for the participants is significant, on the one hand as a perceived trigger of mental health problems and, on the other hand, as the changed life circumstances of young people in the community affected by the earthquake. This thesis is a presentation of thoughts (opinions) and views of participants on how is it like to be an adolescent today in small town affected by an earthquake, in community with its own issues, along with parents who often do not understand nor listen to young people, under pressure of social media, in stressful school evironment and with friends who sometimes do not act like friends. They emphasize the importance of support, warm approach, trust, understanding and acceptance from parents and from mental health professionals and also normalization of seeking help for mental health difficulties in their environment. Their insights are significant guide for mental health professionals which calls for changes at the level of access, specific content, but also awareness of what is important to adolescents