Skip to main content
Articles | Acta Pedagogia Asiana | Volume 5 - Issue 1 - 2026 | 40-51 | https://doi.org/10.53623/apga.v5i1.832
© 2025 by the author(s), and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License

Prevalence of Mental Health Issues Among Secondary School Students in Surabaya, Indonesia, Using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire

Author(s): Ainun Nafisah , Tharani Balamurugan
Author(s) information:
Surabaya European School, Pakuwon Golf & Family Club, Villa Bukit Regensi, Surabaya, 60123, Indonesia

Corresponding author

Acta Pedagogia Asiana

Volume 5 - Issue 1 - 2026

 About the journal
Submit your article

Adolescent mental health is a growing concern worldwide, yet evidence from Indonesia remains limited. This study examined the prevalence of mental health issues among secondary school students in Surabaya using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). A cross-sectional survey was conducted across four schools, involving 167 junior and senior high school students. Participants self-reported emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationship difficulties, and prosocial behavior. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests to explore differences across gender, age, school type, and school level. Findings revealed that 24.6% of students were at substantial risk of mental health difficulties. In contrast, 70.7% of students were unlikely to experience clinically significant problems, and only 1.8% were at risk of low prosocial behavior. Female students reported higher total difficulty scores but also demonstrated greater prosocial behavior compared to males. Additionally, students in public schools showed higher levels of prosocial behavior than those in private schools.

Read Full-Text
Previous article
Next article

United Nations. 1 in 7 children and teens impacted by mental health conditions. (accessed on 09 September 2025) Available online: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2024/10/1-in-7-children-and-teens-impacted-by-mental-health-conditions/#:~:text=Around%20one%20in%20seven%20children,Fund%20report%20released%20on%20Wednesday.

Limone, P.; Toto, G.A. (2022). Factors That Predispose Undergraduates to Mental Issues: A Cumulative Literature Review for Future Research Perspectives. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.831349.

Metal Health. (accessed on 10 September 2025) Available online: https://www.who.int/health-topics/mental-health#tab=tab_2.

Understanding and Addressing the Mental Health of High School Students. New York City: JED, 2020.

India: World Health Organization, 2017. (accessed on 10 September 2025) Available online: https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/c4d82f7a-1f68-417a-9b22-1dfd4f230805/content.

Cuppen, J.; Muja, A.; Geurts, R. (2017). Well-being and mental health among students in European higher education. eurostudent.eu, 1–22.

Verlenden, J.V.; Fodeman, A.; Wilkins, N.; Jones, S.E.; Moore, S.; Cornett, K.; Sims, V.; Saelee, R.; Brener, N.D. (2024). Mental Health and Suicide Risk Among High School Students and Protective Factors — Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2023. Supplement, 73(4), 79–86. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.su7304a9.

Zhang, J.; Peng, C.; Chen, C. (2024). Mental health and academic performance of college students: Knowledge in the field of mental health, self-control, and learning in college. Acta Psychologica, 248, 2–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104351.

Tanaka, M.J.; Cosgarea, A.J.; Ginsburg, R.D.; Dreher, G.M. (2023). How mental health affects injury risk and outcomes in athletes. Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach, 16, 222–229. https://doi.org/10.1177/19417381231179678.

Stubbing, J. (2023). Understanding mental health and wellbeing in upper secondary school students. The Education Hub. (accessed on 05 May 2025) Available online: https://theeducationhub.org.nz/understanding-mental-health-and-wellbeing-in-upper-secondary-school-students/.

Lee, J.E.; Goh, M.L.; Yeo, S.F. (2023). Mental health awareness of secondary schools students: Mediating roles of knowledge on mental health, knowledge on professional help, and attitude towards mental health. Heliyon, 9, 2–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14512.

Kalita, P. (2023). The Importance of Mental Health of Student in the Present Modern Context. International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research, 5, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2023.v05i02.1892.

Gloriabarus. (accessed on 10 May 2025) Available online: https://ugm.ac.id/id/berita/23086-hasil-survei-i-namhs-satu-dari-tiga-remaja-indonesia-memiliki-masalah-kesehatan-mental/.

Depresi pada Anak Muda di Indonesia. (accessed on 10 September 2025) Available online: https://repository.badankebijakan.kemkes.go.id/id/eprint/5532/1/03%20factsheet%20Keswa_bahasa.pdf.

Cipta, D.A.; Saputra, A. (2022). Changing Landscape of Mental Health from Early Career Psychiatrists’ Perspective in Indonesia. Journal of Global Health Neurology and Psychiatry, 5, 2–7. https://doi.org/10.52872/001c.37413.

Mullick, M.S.; Goodman, R. (2001). Questionnaire screening for mental health problems in Bangladeshi children: a preliminary study. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 36, 1–?. https://doi.org/10.1007/s001270050295.

Goodman, R.; F, T.; S, H.; G, R.; Meltzer, H. (2000). Using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to screen for child psychiatric disorders in a community sample. British Journal of Psychiatry, 177, 534–539. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.177.6.534.

Jong, T.J.d.; Schroef, M.P.v.d.; Achterkamp, M.D.; Vroegop, J.L. (2023). First results of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, applied as a screening tool for psychosocial difficulties in pediatric audiology. European Archives of Otorhinolaryngology, 280(10), 4467–4476. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-023-07979-x.

Goodman, R. (2002). Mental Health National Outcomes and Casemix Collection: Overview of Clinician-Rated and Consumer Self-Report Measures. Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Branch, VI(50).

Department of Health and Ageing. "Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Branch." (accessed on 06 July 2025) Available online: https://depts.washington.edu/dbpeds/Screening%20Tools/Strengths_and_Difficulties_Questionnaire.pdf.

TechTarget. (accessed on 09 October 2025) Available online: https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/SPSS-Statistical-Package-for-the-Social-Sciences.

Exploratory Factor Analysis in R. (accessed on 30 June 2025) Available online: https://bookdown.org/luguben/EFA_in_R/.

Crone, E.A.; Achterberg, M. (2022). Prosocial development in adolescence. Current Opinion in Psychology, 44, 220–225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.09.020.

United Nation Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development. (accessed on 01 June 2025) Available online: https://sdgs.un.org/partnerships/sehat-jiwa-school.

Mudunna, C.; Weerasinghe, M.; Tran, T.; Antoniades, J.; Romero, L.; Chandradasa, M.; Fisher, J. (2025). Nature, prevalence and determinants of mental health problems experienced by adolescents in south Asia: a systematic review. The Lancet Regional Health - Southeast Asia, 33, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lansea.2025.

Desy, Y.I.; Chua, J.Y.X.; Wong, J.C.M.; MInna, P.; Goh, Y.S.S.; Shorey, S. (2025). Perceptions of Mental Health Challenges and Needs of Indonesian Adolescents: A Descriptive Qualitative Study. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 34(1). https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.13505.

Reig-Aleixandre, N.; Esparza-Reig, J.; Martí-Vilar, M.; Merino-Soto, C.; Livia, J. (2023). Measurement of Prosocial Tendencies: Meta-Analysis of the Generalization of the Reliability of the Instrument. Healthcare, 11, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11040560.

Mølland, E.; Haraldstad, K.; Abildsnes, E.; Håland, Å.T.; Köpp, U.M.S.; Fegran, L.; Westergren, T. (2023). Use of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in child and school health services among children aged 4 and 6 years in Southern Norway: clinical considerations. BMC Pediatrics, 23(30), 2–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-023-03837-1.

Mieloo, C.; Raat, H.; Oort, F.v.; Bevaart, F.; Vogel, I.; Donker, M. (2012). Validity and Reliability of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in 5–6 Year Olds: Differences by Gender or by Parental Education? PLoS ONE, 7(5), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0036805.

Girls Do Better Than Boys At School in Indonesia If They Get Thehance (accessed on 12 October 2025) Available online: https://indonesiaatmelbourne.unimelb.edu.au/girls-do-better-than-boys-at-school-in-indonesia-if-they-get-the-chance/.

Fachrunnisa, R. (2020). Education of Indonesian Girls: The Outlook of Discrimination, Rights, and the Impact on Society. World Conference on Gender Studies, KnE Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v4i10.7422.

Thuy, T.N. (2024). Emotional-Behavioral Difficulties and Prosocial Behaviour among Vietnamese Adolescents: the Role of Social Support. Health Psychology Research, 12. https://doi.org/10.52965/001c.116967.

Linda, K.; Anne, P. (2021). Empathy, gender, and prosocial behavior. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, 92, 2214–8043. https://doi.org/10.46843/jiecr.v3i3.121.

AR, M.M.; Hardiansyah, F. (2022). Prosocial Behavior of Elementary School Students Based on Gender Differences in Society 5.0. Journal of Innovation in Educational and Cultural Research, 3(3), 390–396. https://doi.org/10.46843/jiecr.v3i3.121.

OECD. (accessed on 12 October 2025) Available online: https://gpseducation.oecd.org/CountryProfile?primaryCountry=IDN&treshold=10&topic=PI.

Azzahra, F.A.; Ampuni, S. (2021). Prosocial intentions towards religious ingroup and outgroup members among adolescents from public and religious schools. Indigenous: Jurnal Ilmiah Psikologi, 6(3), 73–91. https://doi.org/10.23917/indigenous.v6i3.15401.

OECD. Education in Indonesia: Rising to the Challenge, OECD Publishing. Paris, 2021.

Hendajany, N. (2016). The Effectiveness of Public vs Private Schools in Indonesia. Journal of Indonesian Applied Economics, 6(1), 66–89. https://doi.org/10.21776/ub.jiae.2016.006.01.4.

P.v.P.S.i. Indonesia. io Indonesia Overview. (accessed on 12 October 2025) Available online: https://www.indonesiaoverview.com/private-vs-public-schools-in-indonesia/.

Read Full-Text
About this article

SUBMITTED: 18 September 2025
ACCEPTED: 01 November 2025
PUBLISHED: 5 November 2025
SUBMITTED to ACCEPTED: 44 days
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53623/apga.v5i1.832

Cite this article
Nafisah, A., & Tharani Balamurugan. (2025). Prevalence of Mental Health Issues Among Secondary School Students in Surabaya, Indonesia, Using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Acta Pedagogia Asiana, 5(1), 40–51. https://doi.org/10.53623/apga.v5i1.832
Accessed
124
Citations
0
Share this article