A longitudinal study of some factors that influence depression among a sample of adolescents in Northern Ireland

• Main Author: McCambridge, Karen Josephine
• Published: University of Ulster 2012
• Subjects: 618.928527
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.588587

Research has shown that the prevalence of depression in adolescents has continued to increase in recent years. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between the mental health variables of depression, anxiety and stress, and highlight possible links with adolescents' relationships and their worries across a large cross- section of adolescents in Northern Ireland. A longitudinal repeated measures design involving two data collections over two years was employed. The intention of the design was to analyse the changes, which occur at this critical time within the relationships, and the changes in the worries experienced over the course of a year. Participants were given a set of four questionnaires (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21, Things I Worry About Scale, Friendship Quality Scale and Network of Relationships Inventory) to complete at time 1 and then between 8 months to a year later, time 2, they were given the same set of questionnaires to complete. The participants were recruited from seven secondary level schools in Northern Ireland. To examine the interaction between the variables and depression, multiple analyses of variance (MANOVAs) were performed, along with bivariate correlation analyses and one way repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOV As). The results from the cross-sectional study found strong correlations between adolescents' worries and depression scores, as well as gender differences in friendship quality, same-sex friendships and adolescents' worries. The results from the longitudinal study found that there were a number of participants who developed depressive tendencies during the course of the study. It was found that a high frequency of adolescents' worries, in particular academic worries, along with high levels of anxiety and stress appeared to be the strongest predictor of the development of depressive tendencies