Research project KUPOL – Knowledge of adolescents' mental health and learning | EPHIR

Kupol is a large-scale national research project conducted by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in collaboration with researchers from Stockholm University and Uppsala University. The overarching aim of the study has been to investigate the relationship between the school environment and adolescents’ mental health. The data collection ended in 2018 but the scientific activity is ongoing, and it is possible for researchers to apply for data from the study.

Photo: istock

The Kupol study was carried out at 101 secondary schools in Mid- and Southern Sweden between the years 2012-2018 and includes a cohort of circa 4000 children – all of which enrolled in grade seven in the fall of 2013 or 2014.

Kupol has also collected information from legal guardians/parents, principals, teachers, and other students at the participating schools, as well as data from regional and national registers and saliva samples from a sub sample of the cohort.

The Kupol study's core research questions:

  • Is school pedagogic environment and its specific dimensions (e.g. pedagogic leadership, teaching methods, relations in school) associated with the risk of mental ill-health and of psychiatric disorders in adolescence?
  • Is this potential association moderated by gender?
  • To what extent is the potential relation between school pedagogic environment and mental health mediated by academic achievements?
  • Is school pedagogic environment associated with mental ill-health through modifications in the expression of genes, e.g. those regulating response to stress?

Apply for data

If you wish to request data from the Kupol study, please use the application form. Find instructions for where to send your application included in the form.

If the research question is not covered by Kupol’s original ethical review application you must include a copy of your application to the Swedish Ethical Review Authority, as well as the verdict, in your application to Kupol. 

If you want personal data, you must also sign a Personal data processor's contract. Please contact us for guidance.

Contact

Profile image

Rosaria Galanti

Professor, Principal investigator

Publications from the study

Understanding beliefs and behaviours. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth. 2020;25(1). DOI: 10.1080/02673843.2020.1810082

Individual and familial factors predict formation and improvement of adolescents’ academic expectations: A longitudinal study in SwedenPLoS One. 2020;15(2):e0229505. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229505.

School climate and mental health among Swedish adolescents: a multilevel longitudinal study – BMC Public Health. 2019;19(1):1695. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-8018-0.

Academic Expectations and Mental Health in Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study Involving Parents’ and Their Children’s PerspectivesJournal of Adolescent Health. 2019;64:6. DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.11.015.

Youth Well-Being Contextualized: Perceptions of Swedish FathersChild & Youth Care Forum. April 2019. DOI: 10.1007/s10566-019-09508-6.

The Study of Family Context: Examining Its Role for Identity Coherence and Adolescent Adjustment for Swedish AdolescentsJournal of Early Adolescence. March 2019. DOI: 10.1177/0272431619833479.

Longitudinal association between tobacco use and the onset of depressive symptoms among Swedish adolescents: the Kupol cohort studyEuropean Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. October 2018. DOI: 10.1007/s00787-018-1237-6.

NR3C1 hypermethylation in depressed and bullied adolescentsTranslational Psychiatry. 2018;8:121. DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0169-8.

Association between adolescents’ academic aspirations and expectations and mental health: a one-year follow-up study European Journal of Publich Health. 2018;28:3. DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/cky025.

Pedagogical and Social School Climate: Psychometric Evaluation and Validation of the Student Edition of PESOCScandinavian Journal of Educational Research. February 2018. DOI: 10.1080/00313831.2017.1415962

Pedagogical and Social Climate in School Questionnaire Factorial Validity and Reliability of the Teacher Version  – Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment. 2016;34:3. DOI: 10.1177/0734282915595332.

School environment and mental health in early adolescence – a longitudinal study in Sweden (KUPOL)  – BMC Psychiatry. 2016;16:243. DOI: 10.1186/s12888-016-0919-1.

Psychometric Properties of an Intrument to Measure Social and Pedagogical School Climate Among Teachers (PESOC) – Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. December 2016. DOI: 10.1080/00313831.2016.1258661.

Research programme

Participating schools 

Gävleborg County

  • Bergsjö skola
  • Hudikskola
  • Jernvallskolan
  • Läroverket
  • Norrtullskolan
  • Sofiedalskolan
  • Östra skolan

Jönköpings County

  • Bor skola
  • Forsheda skola
  • Gröndalsskolan
  • Hagabodaskolan
  • Junkaremålsskolan
  • Nordinskolan
  • Parkskolan
  • Prolympia Jönköping

Stockholm County

  • Akalla grundskola
  • Alfaskolan
  • Birkaskolan
  • Broskolan
  • Brunnsängskolan
  • Byängsskolan
  • Castello Järla sjö
  •  Ekebyholmsskolan
  • Engelbrektsskolan
  • Engelska skolan Norr
  • Framstegsskolan
  • Futuraskolan Hertig Karl
  • Futuraskolan International Kottla
  • Grundskolan Metapontum
  • Gärdesskolan
  • Hemmestaskolan
  • Johan Skytteskolan
  • Järna friskola
  • Järna grundskola/Eneskolan
  • Karsby International School
  • Katarina Norra skola
  • Kristofferskolan
  • Kulturama Grundskola Sundbyberg
  • Kunskapsskolan Saltsjöbaden
  • Kunskapsskolan Spånga
  • Kunskapsskolan Täby
  • Kvarnbergsskolan
  • Maria Elementar skola
  • Martinskolan
  • Matteusskolan
  • Myrsjöskolan
  • Norrbergskolan
  • Nyckelskolan
  • Näsbyparksskolan
  • Pershagenskolan
  • Raoul Wallenbergskolan
  • Roslagsskolan
  • Rudanskolan
  • Röllingbyskolan
  • Slättgårdsskolan

Södermanland County

  • Europaskolan Rogge
  • Friskolan Asken
  • Järvenskolan Södra
  • Tegelviken
  • Vidåkersskolan/Slottsskolan
  • Vittra Kungshagen
  • Årbyskolan

 Uppsala County

  • Futurum
  • Gransäterskolan
  • Potentia Education
  • Uppsala Musikklasser
  • Västra Stenhagenskolan
  • Älvboda friskola
  • Örbyhus skola
  • Östervåla skola

Västmanland County

  • Bäckbyskolan
  • Fryxellska skolan
  • Kung Karls skola
  • Malmaskolan
  • Persboskolan
  • Risbroskolan
  • Tunboskolan
  • Önstaskolan

Värmland County

  • Estetiska skolan
  • Forshaga lärcenter
  • Forsnässkolan
  • Gunnarsbyskolan
  • Sannerudsskolan.

Örebro County

  • Folkasboskolan
  • Hannaskolan
  • Internationella Engelska skolan Örebro
  • Klockarhagsskolan
  • Lekebergsskolan
  • Sjöängsskolan
  • Transtenskolan

Financers

Kupolstudien has been financed by FORTE, VINNOVA, Formas and The Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet).

RG
Content reviewer:
31-05-2024