A new ARCH Lab paper, Associations between the p Factor and Health-Related Quality of Life in Youth with Chronic Physical Illness, found that children and adolescents with chronic physical illnesses who are at greater risk for mental health difficulties may also experience poorer quality of life over time. Using data from the Multimorbidity in Children and Youth Across the Life-course (MY LIFE) study, researchers followed more than 200 young people receiving care for chronic conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, and Cystic Fibrosis, over a four-year period.
The study examined the p factor, a measure of overall vulnerability to mental health problems, and found that higher p factor scores were associated with lower psychological well-being, more difficulties in relationships with family and friends, and poorer experiences at school. School-related quality of life was consistently affected across age groups and sexes.Â
These findings suggest that identifying mental health challenges early may help healthcare providers recognize children and adolescents with chronic illnesses who are at risk of reduced well-being and could benefit from additional psychosocial support.
