how do adolescents define depression? - cIRcle - University of ...

Chapter IV: Results
distribution and x2 tests (< .10) findings of adolescent depression constructs by gender in grade
8, and in grade 11. In grade 8, significant differences between boys and girls were found in
association with one category, Low Self-Worth, and two subcategories, Perceived Disconnection
and Aggression/Bullied. In grade 8, a higher percentage of girls than boys provided COAD units
in each of these three constructs. In grade 11, x2 tests demonstrated significant gender
differences in two categories, Social Impairment and Retardation/Agitation; and in two
subcategories, Depressed Appearance and Quiet. Again, the percentage of girls mentioning
COAD units in each of these constructs was higher than for boys (see Table 18).
For grades 8 and 11, 80% (or more) of the boys and girls mentioned COAD units in the
category Depressed Mood, and 60% (or more) in the category of Social Impairment and
subcategory Sadness. Subcategories Irritability, Behavioral Disconnection, and Lonely,
contained 30% (or more) of both boys' and girls' COAD units (see Table B1-5 in Appendix B1
for complete results). This high percentage of these constructs suggests that the understanding of
these constructs of adolescent depression as common definitions does not differ between boys
and girls at the different grade levels.
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