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Abstract
Objective: to investigate psychosocial factors associated with mental distress among adolescents. Methods: a questionnaire survey was conducted in nine secondary schools (n = 740) and three high schools (n = 548). The sample consisted of 1288 adolescents. Results: females reported more mental distress than males. Illicit substance use and peer social status of deviant behaviours was positively related to mental distress among males, whereas the status of attractiveness was positively associated with mental distress among females. Conclusions: interventions could focus on school problem behaviours, substance use and peer social status factors. The interventions should be targeted to gender-specific risk factors.