‘Depressive youth?’ – Adolescent’s depressive symptomatology in relation to their social support in Hungary Eszter Kovács – Bettina F. Pikó Semmelweis University University of Szeged

Motivation of the research contemporary researches highly focus on adolescent’s well-being and healthy lifestyle (Koivumaa-Honkanen 2004; Pampel-Aguilar 2008; Piko 2006; Seligman 2002) detecting possible protective factors is challenging enlighten the importance of youth’s health status and unhealthy behavior problem behavior of adolescence ( Deković 1999; Jessor et al. 1995) children’s and adolescents’ depression gets higher (Greenberger et al. 2000)

Theoretical background starting harmful health habits symbolization that they are adults changing norms and attitudes – puberty, identity crisis effect of the peers wide social networks → number of these bonds and strength of ties constitute social support Role of the parents (Armsden et al. 1990; Hair et al 2008; Liu 2006; Steinberg 1994)

The present research 2008 spring High school students non-clinical sample N=881 Age range Mean = 16.6 years; S.D. = 1.3 years 44.6 percent were female Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) – Shortened version Parental protective factors  Social support from parents - Measures of Perceived Social Support (MPSS)  Quality of parent-child relation - talking about problems with parents, having dinner together with the family  Parental control and monitoring

Results regarding depressive symptomatology 61.2% of the sample belong to the non-depressed group 38.8% of them reported depressive symptomatology (3.8% sever) The mean CDI score was 8.11 (8.04) for total sample, 7.05 (SD = 8.03) for boys and 9.28 (SD = 7.90) for girls, gender differences were statistically significant Cronbach’s alpha of 0.74

Social Support Scale six items were scored ( 6-24 ) higher scores indicated greater satisfaction with the perceived support assess the level of satisfaction with the support experienced by youth as given from their mother and/or father Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0.92 (father support) and 0.91 (mother support) Strong relation between the subscales (r=0.28 p<0.001)

Gender differences in the q uality of parent-child relation Having dinner together with the family is more important to boys (p<.05) Talking about problems with parents Parental control and monitoring (setting curfew and share with parents where they spend their leisure time) are more important to girls (p<.001) Support from father is more important for boys and Support from mother is significant for girls (p<.001)

Correlation Depressive symptom scores were related to  perceived social support from both father and mother  parental monitoring  quality of parent- child relation R values for CDI Support from Father Support from Mother Talking about problems Dinner with family Parental monitoring p<.001

Multiple Regression analyses confirm the potential protective role of parental support in this age group ß Coefficients Support from father-0,241*** Support from mother-0,229*** Talking about problems-0,100** Dinner with family-0,084* Parental control 0,073* Parental monitoring 0,033 Constant 24,9*** R² 0,2*** *p≤.05**p<.01***p<.001 Note: Dependent variable CDI Scores

Conclusions While parental monitoring was found to have an important protective effect on adolescent substance use, a secure attachment to parents, the quality of time spent together, and parent-child communication seemed to be more important in lowering adolescent depressive symptoms having dinner together with one’s family seems to be an important protective factor for boys talking about problems with parents was an important protective factor for girls in the lowering of depressive symptoms, the same- sex parent plays the decisive role

Further aims we need to have a better understanding of what psychosocial influences contribute to increasing tendency in depression we need to reveal other protective factors in youth’s life we need to give practical advices for parents to attempt to avoid increasing level of depression in the future Contact addresses