Factors Predicting Depression among Disadvantaged Adolescents

This study had two main objectives. First, it aimed to validate a causal model of the relationships between gender, family history of depression, rumination, perceived negative life events, perceived stress, resilience, and depression among disadvantaged adolescents. Second, it aimed to investigate both the direct and indirect effects of gender, family history of depression, rumination, perceived negative life events, perceived stress, and resilience on depression among disadvantaged adolescents.

This study used a cross-sectional model-testing design. The participants were 510 adolescents from four schools for disadvantaged adolescents in four regions of Thailand. Six questionnaires-a personal data questionnaire, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Ruminative Response Scale-10, the Negative Event Scale, the Thai version of the Perceived Stress Scale-10, and the Resilience Inventory-were used to collect data, which were analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling.

The findings showed that the model fit the empirical data (Chi-square value = 222.33, degrees of freedom = 162, goodness of fit index = .96, adjusted goodness of fit index = .94, Tucker-Lewis index = .98, comparative fit index = .99, root mean square error of approximation = .03). Rumination had a positive direct effect on depression and an indirect effect through both perceived negative life events and resilience serially. Perceived negative life events had a positive direct effect on depression and an indirect effect through resilience. Perceived stress had a positive direct effect on depression and an indirect effect through resilience. Gender and family history of depression had neither direct nor indirect effects on depression among disadvantaged adolescents.

The findings can be used to help develop programs to promote resilience and reduce rumination, perceived negative life events, and perceived stress to prevent and reduce depression among disadvantaged adolescents.