Comorbidity between depression and antisocial behaviour in middle adolescence: the role of perceived social support

A sample of 3278 students (aged 15-16 years) were surveyed to investigate the interrelations between depression (RBDI; The Finnish modification of the 13-item Beck Depression Inventory), antisocial behaviour (YSR; Youth Self-Report) and perceived social support from family, friends and significant other (PSSS-R; the Perceived Social Support Scale-Revised). The study aimed especially to control for the effect of perceived social support in the comorbidity between depression and antisocial behaviour. The results indicate firstly that decreased perceived social support was associated with both depression and antisocial behaviour in both sexes. Similarly, antisocial behaviour was associated with depression in both sexes. Perceived social support modified comorbidity between depression and antisocial behaviour, but antisocial behaviour still remained independently associated with depression. Thus, perceived social support did not explain the found comorbidity between depression and antisocial behaviour.