Relationship of Psychosocial Factors and Depression in Adolescent Girls

Major depression affects one m every fifty school children. Countless others are affected by milder cases of depression, which may affect school performance (Lamarine, 1995). Variables of key influence include peer relationship, academic performance, and self-esteem and socio economic status. This paper reports results from a sample of fifty (50) adolescent girls, chosen by purposive random sampling method out of universe of 325 adolescent girls from a school in North lndia to investigate the relation between the various variables and depression level. From a survey of those fifty girls (n=50), thirty-five girls (n=35) from low economic status and fifteen girls (n=15)from high economic status were interviewed regarding their coping capabilities and psychosocial problems. Semi structured interviews and questionnaires were developed and standardized psychological tests were conducted to assess the influence of variables on the depression level of adolescent girls. A regression analysis showed that statistically significant explanatory factors of depression i.e. - the outcome variables were self-esteem, peer relationship and socio economic status. Academic performance was not statistically significant.