The relationship between depression and school related adjustment

Choi, Jai Been; Kwak, In Ho; Lee, Sang Hyun; Choi, Ji Ho; Cho, Sung Min

Abstract

BACKGROUD: It is known that patients with depression can have physical and social dysfunction. Even though adolescents spend most of their time in school, researches on the relationship between adolescent depression and school adjustment are lacking. Therefore, this research surveys depression of adolescents and deals with the relationship between depression and school adjustment or school achievement. METHOD: Questionnaires were distributed to 572 students in one coed high school located in Incheon. Depression tendency was based upon BDI as cut off point 21. School adjustment was based on school related adjustment scale and the dass standing following the first semester.
RESULTS
25% (143) of 572 responses belonged to the depression tendency group. The school related adjustment scale of the depression tendency group averaged 80.06 14.78, while that of the non-depression tendency group averaged 91.78 14.98. The relationship between depression tendency and school adjustment was statistically significant(P<0.001). The relationship between depression tendency and school lifereated adjustment, school environment related adjustment, school friend related adjustment, school teacher related adjustment or school instruction-related adjustment was statistically significant(P<0. 001). In addition, the relationship between depression tendency and dass standirg was statistically significant (P<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
There was a significant relationship between depression tendency and school adjustment or school achievement. As a result, family physicians as primary care physicians need to consider examination of psychiatric symptoms such as depression tendency as well as physical symptoms, when consulting with adolescents who have trouble adjusting to school or those who bave low school achievements.