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

Chapter I: Introduction
support may be moderated by their conceptions and self-recognition of depression. The present
investigation aims to examine adolescents' self-recognition of depression and how they seek help
for depression in association to depressive symptomatology. The goal of this investigation is to
examine the relevance of self-recognition to depressive symptomatology, and to adolescents'
approach-oriented coping specifically via thinking about own need to talk to someone and
talking to someone when feeling depressed. The purpose of using these variables is to examine
their relationship to depressive symptomatology which is used to screen depression in
adolescents in order to offer access to support services for depression.
A third way to gain insight into the roots of adolescent depression may be found in
examining adolescents' social and emotional understanding in relation to the depressed
condition. An individual's capacity to differentiate and integrate the viewpoints of the self and
others comes about through an understanding of the relation between the thoughts, emotions, and
wishes of each person (Schultz & Selman, 2000a). Further, emotions are critical in organizing
the development of social relationships and physiological experiences, as well as cognitive
processes, and have been associated with social competence and physical health (Saarni,
Mumme, & Campos, 1997; Zeman, Shipman, & Penza-Clyve, 2001). Difficulties in successfully
handling relationships, emotions, and issues at this phase of their lives may contribute to greater
vulnerability to depression. If we know more about the underlying social and emotional
processes and mechanisms of depression in adolescence, we would have more information that
may inform early detection, early intervention, and treatment for adolescents. Researchers have
only recently begun to examine depressive symptomatology in relationship to adolescents' social
or emotional development (Zeman, Cassano, Perry-Parrish, & Stegall, 2006). Hence, a third aim
of this research is to explore the relative influence of both social perspective coordination and
emotion understanding in relation to depressive symptomatology in adolescents in order to
determine the potential influence of these constructs in predicting depressive symptomatology.
Significance of the Study
The true magnitude of depression during adolescence and its deleterious effect on
adolescents themselves, their families, school environments, and the community, is now
generally recognized. The incidence of depression is expected to rise during the next 15 years
and is predicted to be the leading disability in both men and women (Michaud, Murray, &
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