Depression and school performance in middle adolescent boys and girls

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the associations between different levels of depression with different aspects of school performance. The target population included 2516 7th–9th grade pupils (13–17 years) of whom 90% completed the questionnaire anonymously in the classroom. Of the girls 18.4% and of the boys 11.1% were classified as being depressed (R‐Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Finnish version of the 13‐item BDI). The lower the self‐reported grade point average (GPA) or the more the GPA had declined from the previous term, the more commonly the adolescents were depressed. Depression was associated with difficulties in concentration, social relationships, self‐reliant school performance and reading and writing as well as perceiving schoolwork as highly loading. The school performance variables had similar associations with depression among both sexes when a wide range of depression was studied but gender differences appeared when studying the severe end of the depression scale. Our study indicates that pupils reporting difficulties in academic performance should be screened for depression.

Depression and Individuals with Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review

“…Nevertheless, the specific age when this difference begins is controversial and other factors associated with depressive symptoms among adolescence seems to vary among different population [32,33]. The World health Organization [34] stated that depression is the leading cause of disability with a 50% higher rate of burden of depression among women than men.…”

Depressive symptoms, anxiety and academic motivation in youth: Do schools and families make a difference?

“…Accordingly, several studies have indicated that internalizing symptoms impair academic achievement (Brackney & Karabenick, 1995;Fröjd et al, 2008;Malinauskiene, Vosylis, & Zukauskiene, 2011;Pekrun, Goetz, Titz, & Perry, 2002;Roeser, Eccles, & Sameroff, 1998;Tesiny, Lefkowitz, & Gordon, 1980;Thornberry, Ireland, & Smith, 2001;Woodward & Fergusson, 2001). In contrast, other reports have suggested that there is no direct relationship between internalizing problems and academic performance (Barriga et al, 2002;Strauss, Lahey, & Jacobsen, 1982) and that psychopathology influences academic achievement only indirectly, through its determinants, such as motivation, self-efficacy and resource-management (Brackney et al, 1995).…”

“Thinking about the future, what’s gonna happen?”—How young people in Sweden who neither work nor study perceive life experiences in relation to health and well-being

“…In previous studies, this has been shown to be beneficial for vulnerable young people (Borup & Holstein, 2004). In general, a stronger focus on health promotion in school could not only enhance the young people’s health but also improve their learning (Ahonen, 2010; Fröjd et al, 2008). In addition, the young people in this study expressed a need to be listened to and to be treated as individuals (in relation to social services and contact with adults).…”