Call for papers - Mental health of adolescents

Guest Editors

Karen Allison Patte, PhD, Brock University, Canada
Raziye Salari, PhD, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany

Submission Status: Open | Submission Deadline: 7 March 2025

BMC Public Health is calling for submissions to our Collection on mental health of adolescents. Adolescence is a critical developmental stage marked by significant physical and emotional changes, with mental health being heavily influenced by societal pressures, academic demands, and technology. Rising rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders among adolescents pose a global concern, affecting both immediate quality of life and long-term well-being. Addressing these issues is essential for fostering healthy development and preventing future psychosocial challenges. This Collection seeks submissions that explore factors influencing adolescent mental health, such as trends in mental health disorders, risk and protective factors, the impact of digital platforms, school environments, family relationships, barriers to accessing mental health services, and effective intervention strategies.

New Content Item This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good health & Wellbeing.

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Meet the Guest Editors

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Karen Allison Patte, PhD, Brock University, Canada

Dr Patte is the Canada Research Chair in Child Health Equity and Inclusion and an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at Brock University, and an Adjunct Associate Professor in the School of Public Health Sciences at Waterloo University. Dr Patte’s research focuses youth health and equity, with a particular focus on mental health and ill-health. She is interested in the psychosocial, behavioural, and environmental predictors of mental health and ill-health. Her research program aims to advance understanding of how different contexts and exposures shape health trajectories over time, to inform more effective and equitable preventative practice, policy, and programs. Dr Patte Co-Leads the COMPASS study – the largest and most comprehensive longitudinal youth health study in Canada and internationally. Dr Patte’s research program uses population-level survey methods linked to comprehensive data about school and community contexts, and integrates qualitative and youth engagement components to arrive at a nuanced understanding of the factors that fuel the development of health disparities. Youth engagement programs to integrate youth voices into the research and ensure that the results appropriately capture diverse youths’ experiences and needs.

Raziye Salari, PhD, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany

Dr Salari is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Research Fellow at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. Dr Salari's research focuses on parenting and the prevention of mental health problems in children and adolescents. Dr Salari has a strong interest in examining the effectiveness of parenting programs as early prevention, investigating mediators and moderators of intervention effects, and identifying critical elements for improving program outcomes and refining intervention strategies. In addition, her work has included developing reliable assessment tools for screening and measuring intervention effects, and exploring the use of direct-to-consumer marketing strategies to increase program visibility and participation rates, with the ultimate goal of improving mental health outcomes for children and families.

About the Collection

BMC Public Health is calling for submissions to our Collection on mental health of adolescents.

Adolescence represents a crucial developmental stage characterized by rapid physical and emotional changes. The psychosocial well-being of this demographic is significantly influenced by various factors, including societal pressures, academic demands, and the pervasive influence of technology. The escalating rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders make the mental health of adolescents a pressing global concern. Conditions affecting mental health during this phase not only impact immediate quality of life but can also have enduring effects into adulthood. Addressing adolescent mental health is crucial for fostering healthy development, preventing long-term psychosocial challenges, and promoting a resilient and productive future generation.

This Collection invites submissions that delve into various factors influencing mental health during the critical phase of adolescence, with a focus on promoting understanding, awareness, and evidence-based interventions. Topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Trends and changes in the prevalence of mental health disorders among adolescents
Identification and analysis of risk factors contributing to mental health issues
Protective factors that can enhance resilience and mental well-being
Exploring the role of digital platforms in shaping adolescent mental health
Assessment of the impact of school environments on mental health
Influence of family relationships on adolescent mental health.
Assessment of barriers to accessing mental health services for adolescents
Strategies for improving accessibility and utilization of mental health resources
Evidence-based preventive programs
Evaluation of intervention strategies to address specific mental health challenges.

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being.

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Mental health of adolescents" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.