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

Chapter V: Discussion
heading. This study's main focus was to obtain adolescents' definitions of depression, self-
recognition, and pathways to talking to someone when depressed. Particularly for this purpose, a
self-report study has a number of advantages which include adolescents' perspectives and cost
efficiency because data is collected from one source. Self-reports are also an important method
to measure cognitive responses that are unobservable by others (Compas et al., 2001). Hankin
and Abramson (2001) suggest that children may be best informants after the age of nine.
Finally, rigorous data collection methods were firmly adhered to throughout the course of
this study. Prior to the main research study, a pilot study and a focus group were implemented to
ensure the questions, timing of the survey, and terminology in the questionnaire were appropriate
for this age group. Communication was established with school personnel and presentations were
given as requested. Extreme care was taken to ensure that the students and parents were informed
about the purpose of this study, and a representative return rate on parental permission slips
giving consent were obtained. Two research assistants, one male and one female, were trained by
this investigator to help administer the questionnaires. Protocol was established to have follow-
up within 24 hours for those adolescents who scored with potential depression. Resource
pamphlets were developed and provided to all students in the classrooms. I also made myself
available for any personal questions immediately after the survey. A large sample of participants
was obtained for this investigation to ensure an adequate number of adolescents with depressive
symptomatology could be found.
Limitations
While this study has made significant contributions to adolescent depression literature it
is not without limitations. First, I discuss some of the methodological limitations in this
investigation. The data of this research rely on adolescents' self-reports that stemmed from a
survey. Interviews may have clarified, refined, and provided more in-depth information as to
adolescents' definitions of depression. Although nine percent of the sample of participants was
screened with depression, reflective of the prevalence found in the community (Kessler &
Walters, 1998), those who were clinically depressed, or who may have scored with potential
depression, or provided different responses to the questions, may have not participated in this
study. Non-participation may have also been due to other factors such as school, ethnicity, or
these non-participants may have been depressed. Only those adolescents who chose to do so,
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