DOI : https://doi.org/10.56338/mppki.v9i9.10606

Screening for Psychosocial Problems Using the PSC-35/Youth and Associated Factors among Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study at MTs Al-Washliyah 42 Sipispis, Serdang Bedagai, Indonesia

Asima Sirait (1), Ismi Ilaika (2), Agnes Purba (3), Mido Ester Sitorus (4), Ronni Naudur Siregar (5)
(1) Universitas Sari Mutiara Indonesia, Medan, Sumatera Utara, Indonesia
(2) Universitas Sari Mutiara Indonesia, Medan, Sumatera Utara, Indonesia
(3) Universitas Sari Mutiara Indonesia, Medan, Sumatera Utara, Indonesia
(4) Universitas Sari Mutiara Indonesia, Medan, Sumatera Utara, Indonesia
(5) Universitas Sari Mutiara Indonesia, Medan, Sumatera Utara, Indonesia
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Sirait, A., Ilaika, I., Purba, A. ., Sitorus, M. E., & Siregar, R. N. (2026). Screening for Psychosocial Problems Using the PSC-35/Youth and Associated Factors among Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study at MTs Al-Washliyah 42 Sipispis, Serdang Bedagai, Indonesia. Media Publikasi Promosi Kesehatan Indonesia, 9(9), 1657–1664. https://doi.org/10.56338/mppki.v9i9.10606
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Introduction: Psychosocial problems may contribute to depression among adolescents, yet many cases remain undetected. In the 2023 Indonesian Health Survey, 2.8% of individuals aged 15–24 years had mental health problems in the previous month. Peer pressure and school bullying may increase psychosocial stress and the risk of depression. Evidence on school-based screening using the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) in North Sumatra is limited. This study aimed to screen adolescents for psychosocial problems using the PSC-35/Youth and identify associated factors at MTs Al-Washliyah 42 Sipispis, Serdang Bedagai, Indonesia.


Methods: This cross-sectional study included 142 adolescents aged 12–15 years at MTs Al-Washliyah 42 Sipispis; all 142 were included in the analysis. Psychosocial problems were assessed using the Pediatric Symptom Checklist-35/Youth (PSC-35/Y), an Indonesian translation reviewed by experts for linguistic appropriateness, item clarity, and semantic equivalence with the original instrument. The 35 items are rated as “never” (0), “sometimes” (1), or “often” (2), giving a total score of 0–70; a score ≥30 indicates a positive screen for psychosocial problems. Ethical approval was granted under approval number 4122/F/KEP/USM/IV/2026. Associations were examined using the chi-square test followed by multivariable logistic regression, with a 95% confidence level.


Results: Of the 142 adolescents, 65 (45.8%) screened positive for psychosocial problems. Bivariate analysis identified significant associations with family environment (p = 0.001), school environment (p = 0.023), peer relationships (p = 0.009), and academic achievement (p = 0.008). Multivariable analysis showed that adolescents with a positive family environment had lower odds of screening positive for psychosocial problems compared with those with a negative family environment as the reference category (OR = 0.093; 95% CI: 0.037–0.231; p = 0.001).


Conclusion: Psychosocial problems were common among the adolescents in this study. Family environment, school environment, peer relationships, and academic achievement were significantly associated with psychosocial problems in bivariate analyses; family environment remained significant in the multivariable model. These findings support strengthening family support systems and school-based psychosocial screening and support for adolescent mental health.

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