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

Chapter V: Discussion
Lifetime Self-Recognized Depression to Reported Pathways to Talking to Someone When Feeling
Depressed
Those adolescents who self-recognized depression in their lifetime (185 [56%]) were
selected to examine the association of self-recognized depression to pathways to talking to
someone when feeling depressed. First, association of self-recognized depression to thinking
about own need to talk to someone when depressed, was examined. In this analysis, the majority
(68%) of adolescents thought that they needed to talk to someone. In further analysis, the
findings revealed that the majority of adolescents who thought that they needed to talk to
someone when depressed, actually did talk to someone (79%). These findings reflect the results
of Seiffge-Krenke and Klessinger (2000), where fewest depressive symptoms were reported with
approach-oriented coping style. Other studies examining self-perceived need for mental health
treatment found that self-perceived need, independent of the DSM diagnoses, was associated
with suicidal ideation (Sareen et al., 2002), and mood disorders and suicidality were strong
predictors of self-perceived need (Mojtabai et al., 2002).
Correlates of health may also indicate indirectly adolescents' level of help-seeking
abilities (Compas et al., 2001), and that all forms of avoidant coping are linked with high levels
of depressive symptomatology (Seiffge-Krenke & Klessinger, 2000). In reference to talking to
someone, this study's findings reflect the Seiffge-Krenke and Klessinger (2000) study, where
approach-oriented coping was reported with fewest depressive symptoms, but where avoidant-
copers reported the most depressive symptoms. Two years after the study, higher levels of
depressive symptoms were found in all adolescents who used avoidant coping.
In this study, the majority of adolescents who thought that they needed to talk to someone
would not meet the threshold requirement for depressive symptomatology. This finding can
reflect Seiffge-Krenke and Klessinger (2000) study results where approach-oriented coping was
reported with fewest depressive symptoms. Further, in this study, adolescents screened as
"Depressed" had lower percentages (53%) of conceptions of depression versus those screened as
"Not Depressed" (70%) in the category Social Impairment. Similar findings were found in those
adolescents who self-recognized depression within two weeks (had lower percentages of COAD)
versus those who did not self-recognize depression and who self-recognized beyond two weeks.
Also, in this study, a higher percentage of "Not Depressed" adolescents (72%) talked to someone
versus those who were screened as "Depressed" (54%). These findings seem to echo Seiffge-
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