The gender gap in adolescents’ emotional and behavioural problems in Georgia: a cross-sectional study using Achenbach’s Youth Self Report

BACKGROUND: Adolescents, particularly girls, are vulnerable to mental health disorders. Knowledge about young people’s mental health in Eastern European countries is limited. This study is the first to investigate adolescents’ self-reported emotional and behavioural problems in Georgia from a public mental health perspective. METHODS: This study utilized Achenbach’s Youth Self-Reported syndrome scales among 933 adolescents studying from grades 7–12 in 18 public schools in Georgia. We compared the gender-specific results with each other and with the Achenbach’s Normative Sample using two-sample t-tests. Linear regression was used to assess associations between internalizing and externalizing problems and individual as well as demographic characteristics such as parental migration experience (being ‘left-behind’ or ‘staying behind’). RESULTS: The study found that girls obtained higher scores than boys in Youth Self-Reported empirical syndrome scales and the internalizing broadband scale. Rule-breaking behaviour was the only syndrome scale where boys scored higher. Compared to Achenbach’s Normative Sample, adolescents in Georgia scored higher on all scales. Regression analyses showed that illnesses, having fewer than three close friends, problems at school, and worse relationships with peers/siblings/parents (compared to peers) were associated with higher internalizing and externalizing problems scores in both genders. Performing household chores, living with only one parent, or having a migrant parent showed no associations in either gender. CONCLUSION: Emotional and behavioural difficulties of adolescents in Georgia, especially girls, require attention. Having close friends, developing strong relationships with family members, and a supportive school environment could help mitigate emotional and behavioural problems among adolescents in Georgia. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13034-023-00592-0.