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Literature Review: Mental Illness Among Young Adults

Zabrina Thein

Department of Health Science

HLTH-499 Sec 003: Senior Capstone Project

Professor Ashley Winans

October 24, 2021

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Introduction

First, it is important to note that mental illness and mental health do not have the same

definition; although, the terms are used interchangeably. Mental illness does not rely on having

poor mental health. Rather, it refers to any and all diagnosable mental disorders that are

“characterized by sustained, abnormal alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior associated with

distress and impaired functioning,” (Reeves et al., 2011, para. 4). An official list of these

disorders are classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, more

commonly referred to as the DSM-5. According to the CDC, mental illness is one of the “most

common health conditions in the United States (U.S.), measuring up to 50% of those who are

diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime,” (CDC, 2021, para. 5).

There is not a specific cause for mental illness, instead, it is due to a number of factors

such as “trauma, history of abuse, chronic medical conditions, biological factors or chemical

imbalances in the brain, use of alcohol or drugs, and even feelings of loneliness or isolation”

(CDC, 2021, para. 6). Mental illness can range from mild to moderate to severe, where it may

begin to affect daily life and functioning in any major life activities. The National Institute of

Mental Health (NIH) has separated these conditions into two broad categories: Any Mental

Illness (AMI) and Severe Mental Illness (SMI). AMI consists of all recognized mental illnesses

that range from no impairment to even severe impairment of major life activities. On the other

hand, SMI specifically refers to mental illnesses that cause more severe impairment in major life

activities. The purpose of this paper is to review the prevalence of mental illness among young

adults and current preventative techniques and treatment.

Mental Illness Among Young Adults

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) provides information about common
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warning signs of mental illness, such as “feeling very sad or withdrawn for more than two weeks,

significant weight loss or gain, extreme difficulty concentrating or staying still, etc,.” That being

said, if a person experiences one or more of the common warning signs for a prolonged period of

time, it is more likely for them to be diagnosed with a mood disorder (e.g., depression, bipolar

disorder, etc.,), an anxiety disorder, a cognitive disorder (e.g., psychosis or obsessive-compulsive

disorder), or a behavioral disorder (e.g., an eating or substance use disorder).

The prevalence of mental health among young adults aged 18-25 has significantly

increased. According to data collected from the NIH, in 2019, this particular age group had the

highest prevalence of AMI (29.4%) as well as SMI (8.6%). NAMI (2021) also states that young

adults have an 11.8% prevalence of serious thoughts of suicide. According to John Hopkins

Medicine, approximately 26% of young adults in the U.S. will suffer from a mental disorder.

Specifically, around 9.5% will suffer from a depressive illness and about 18% will suffer from an

anxiety disorder.

Preventative Techniques and Treatment

In the study by Ebert et al., it suggested providing internet and mobile-based

interventions (IMIs) to overcome the limitations of traditional prevention programs. This new

method introduces new possibilities, including the accessibility of evidence-based psychological

interventions without the restraints of travel and time, allowing to reach participants for whom

traditional opportunities are not an option. One of which makes use of mobile-based apps that

monitor health behavior and provide stand-alone self-help interventions to supplemental

elements integrated in conventional on-site psychological interventions. The emotional,

cognitive, and behavioral processes are modified and their generalizations to users’ daily lives

promoted using established psychological techniques. Numerous technical possibilities can be

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used for the implementation of IMIs, such as: the presentation of evidence-based strategies

through interactive self-help lessons; e-mail, chat, or video-based sessions; virtual reality for

exposure interventions; serious-games wherein psychological strategies are trained in the context

of a computer game; the use of automated memory, feedback, and reinforcement interventions

eg. through apps, e-mails, text messages, or short prompts, which allow the user to incorporate

intervention content into daily life; or to sensors and apps that can monitor health behavior such

as physical activity, which can be used to support the learning process.

There is also the Family-Centered Support Conversation (FCSC) intervention by Moen et

al., which aims to promote healing and alleviates the suffering of the family. The family here is

seen as a “group of persons who consider themselves as belonging to each other and having cloe

ties. Thus, the family consists of persons who need not be related by bloodlines or law but

function in such a way that they consider themselves to be a family (Whall, 1986).” The focus of

this intervention is on the interaction, interplay, and relations in and between family mebers’

beliefs rather than on the individual family members. A change in one member affects all the

members one way or another, since family members influence each other and the dynamics may

create a balance between change and stability. This technique shifts the focus of healthcare

professionals from deficit or dysfunctional-based assessments to strength and resource-based

family intervention. It emphasizes collaborative relationships and gives importance to

reinforcing, improving, and sustaining an active family life on three levels: intellectual,

emotional, and behavioral. Key elements here are family assessment, family beliefs on daily life,

reflection, commending and drawing on family strengths and resources. It is engaged in a

therapeutic relationship and consists of three conversations between the family, the patient, and

the mental health professional. The first conversation aims to establish a relationship and make
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an assessment through developing, promoting, and establishing a comfortable atmosphere, with

mutual trust and cooperation between all parties. The second conversation focuses on cognitive,

affective, and behavioral domains such as strengths and resources that can be used to increase

support in everyday life within and outside of the family. Lastly, the third conversation revolves

around the families’ daily lives and future support strategies.

Critique

IMIs are flexible, technically diverse methods which allow themselves to a variety of

application areas and have the ability to reach target groups not yet achieved by the classical

approach. Numerous studies have shown that such interventions can be effective in preventing

mental disorders. However, much more research is needed in order to fully determine its

potential in significantly reducing mental health disorders at a population level.

FCSC interventions were found to be beneficial to families in hospital psychiatry settings

in both short and long-term perspective and have been used by school nurses in their meetings

with adolescent females with health complaints and their respective parents. It was described as a

complement to care as usual and was considered a new way of structuring the involvement of

family members in the therapeutic conversations with the young adult patients. The mental

health professionals found that they gained insight into the families’ sufferings and how each

member experienced everyday life. Through conducting FCSC, it was observed that the families’

increased their knowledge of the patient’s mental illness and how to manage everyday life. The

intervention may not suit all families and may need modification to cater to the patient’s needs

and their family.

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References

About Mental Health. (2021, August 5). Cdc.Gov.

https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm

Common Warning Signs of Mental Illness. (n.d.). Nami.Org. Retrieved October 4, 2021, from

https://www.nami.org/NAMI/media/NAMI-Media/Infographics/NAMI-Warning-Signs-FI

NAL.pdf

Do I Have a Mental Health Condition? (n.d.). Nami.Org. Retrieved October 4, 2021, from

https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Kids-Teens-and-Young-Adults/Young-Adults/Do-I-

Have-a-Mental-Health-Condition

DSM-5. (n.d.). Psychiatry.Org. Retrieved October 4, 2021, from

https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm

Ebert, D. D., Cuijpers, P., Muñoz, R. F., & Baumeister, H. (2017). Prevention of mental health

disorders using Internet- and mobile-based interventions: A narrative review and

recommendations for future research. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 8, 116.

Mental Health By the Number. (n.d.). Nami.Org. Retrieved October 4, 2021, from

https://www.nami.org/mhstats

Mental health disorder statistics. (n.d.). Hopkinsmedicine.Org. Retrieved October 4, 2021, from

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/mental-health-disorder

-statistics

Mental Illness. (n.d.). Nih.Gov. Retrieved October 4, 2021, from

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness

Moen, Ø. L., Aass, L. K., Schröder, A., & Skundberg-Kletthagen, H. (2021). Young adults

suffering from mental illness: Evaluation of the family-centred support conversation

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What is mental illness? (2012). In Models of the Mind (pp. 23–40). Routledge.