1.2 Explain the range of factors that may influence mental wellbeing and mental health problems across the life span, including: • biological factors • social factors • psychological factors • emotional factors

This guide will help you answer 1.2 Explain the range of factors that may influence mental wellbeing and mental health problems across the life span, including: • biological factors • social factors • psychological factors • emotional factors.

Mental wellbeing and mental health problems do not have a single cause. Many things can affect how people feel and cope, and these can change through different stages of life. The most common influences fall under four main areas: biological, social, psychological, and emotional.

Biological Factors

Biological factors are the physical or genetic influences on mental health. These can come from a person’s body, family history, or changes in the brain.

Key biological factors include:

• Genetics: Some mental health problems run in families, such as depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia. If a close relative has these issues, the risk is higher.
• Brain chemistry: The brain relies on chemicals called neurotransmitters. Imbalances in these can affect mood, thoughts, and behaviour. For example, low serotonin is linked to depression.
• Hormones: Changes in hormones—such as during puberty, pregnancy, or menopause—may trigger mental health problems or affect wellbeing.
• Physical health conditions: Long-term illnesses like diabetes, epilepsy, or chronic pain often affect mental health. Being seriously unwell can lead to anxiety, low mood, or confusion.
• Brain injury: Head injuries or infections (like meningitis) might cause changes in mood, memory, and behaviour.
• Substance use: Drugs and alcohol can change brain chemistry and increase risk for mental health problems. These effects might be short-term or long-lasting.
• Prenatal factors: Exposure to toxins, infections, or malnutrition during pregnancy can affect the developing brain and future mental health.

Examples Across the Life Span

• Childhood: Genetic conditions like ADHD can begin early. Poor nutrition or exposure to drugs during pregnancy can affect the child’s brain.
• Teenage years: Hormonal changes can trigger anxiety and mood swings.
• Adulthood: Injuries, illnesses, or use of substances might impact wellbeing later in life.
• Older age: Dementia and related memory problems often link to physical changes in the brain, not just ageing.

Social Factors

Social factors refer to influences from the person’s environment and relationships. People’s surroundings and the way society treats them have a strong effect on mental health.

Key social factors include:

• Family life: Stable, loving families support good mental health. Family conflict, violence, or breakdown can be harmful.
• Friendships and relationships: Good friends help build self-confidence and resilience. Isolation or bullying makes people more at risk.
• Education and employment: Achievements at school, getting a job, and feeling valued boost wellbeing. Problems in these areas can lower self-esteem.
• Housing and environment: Having a safe, comfortable home matters. Overcrowding or homelessness can harm mental health.
• Culture and community: Feeling connected to a community, faith, or culture supports wellbeing. Racism, discrimination, and social exclusion cause high levels of distress.
• Poverty: Money worries and social disadvantage are linked with anxiety and depression.
• Traumatic events: Living through abuse, disaster, or crime increases mental health risks.

Examples Across the Life Span

• Childhood: Bullying or living in poverty has a lasting effect.
• Adolescence: Peer pressure, social media, and academic stress can lead to anxiety.
• Adulthood: Job loss, relationship breakdown, or being a carer affect wellbeing.
• Older age: Retirement, bereavement, or social isolation can lead to loneliness and depression.

Psychological Factors

Psychological factors involve how a person thinks, copes, and understands themselves or the world. These are shaped by personality, thinking styles, and earlier experiences.

Key psychological factors include:

• Personality: Some temperaments cope better with challenges than others. Being naturally anxious or low in confidence increases risk.
• Coping skills: How people manage stress matters. Poor coping, such as avoiding problems or ‘bottling up’ feelings, may lead to bigger issues.
• Past experiences: Early trauma, neglect, or loss often shapes mental health in later life.
• Beliefs and attitudes: People’s view of themselves and the world can protect or harm mental wellbeing. Unhelpful thinking patterns—such as feeling hopeless or expecting failure—raise risk.
• Self-esteem: Low self-worth and self-criticism are linked closely with depression, eating disorders, or social anxiety.

Examples Across the Life Span

• Childhood: Children who are valued, praised, and feel secure build good coping skills.
• Teen Years: Learning to handle stress and setbacks is key at this stage.
• Adulthood: Life events and past trauma may start to impact self-esteem or relationships.
• Older age: Reflecting on life achievements can support wellbeing, but unfinished business may cause distress.

Emotional Factors

Emotional factors relate to a person’s ability to recognise, express, and manage their feelings. Emotional wellbeing is about understanding what you feel and knowing how to work through it.

Key emotional factors include:

• Emotional awareness: Being able to notice and name feelings helps people deal with them more effectively.
• Emotional regulation: Managing strong emotions, such as anger or sadness, is a learned skill. Some people struggle, leading to problems like self-harm or aggression.
• Attachment: Early bonds with parents or carers set patterns for emotional wellbeing throughout life. Secure attachment supports trust and confidence.
• Resilience: The ability to recover from setbacks or stress protects against mental health problems.
• Expressing emotions: Some people feel able to talk about their problems, while others keep feelings hidden. Unexpressed emotions can build up and cause problems.

Examples Across the Life Span

• Childhood: Children raised in loving, responsive homes learn to manage their feelings.
• Adolescence: Teens may struggle with identity and self-control, putting them at higher risk.
• Adulthood: Bereavement, divorce, or work pressures require strong emotional resilience.
• Older age: Losing loved ones or dealing with illness can challenge emotional stability.

Interactions Between Factors

Often, mental health problems come from a mix of these influences. For example:

• A person with a family history of depression (biological) loses their job (social), thinks they are a failure (psychological), and feels unable to talk about it (emotional).
• Someone with a physical illness (biological) is isolated at home (social), has low confidence (psychological), and struggles to manage anxiety (emotional).

Different life stages can increase or decrease the effect of these factors. For instance, puberty, pregnancy, exam times, moving house, or retirement are all ‘trigger points’.

Final Thoughts

Mental wellbeing and mental health problems are influenced by a complex mix of biological, social, psychological, and emotional factors. These influences interact in different ways throughout a person’s life, making mental health a dynamic and personal experience.

Understanding these factors helps us recognise why some people may struggle more at certain times and highlights the importance of support tailored to individual needs. Taking care of mental health means looking at the whole person—their body, relationships, thoughts, and feelings—and how these change across childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and older age.

Awareness and early intervention can improve wellbeing and help prevent or manage mental health problems effectively.