Depression and life satisfaction in Nepal and Australia

For this study of cultural differences in the extent of depressive symptomatology and life satisfaction, 311 Australian and 250 Nepalese university students completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS; Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985). No significant differences were found in depressive symptomatology. Australian respondents reported significantly higher life satisfaction than Nepalese. A moderate significant inverse relationship was found between depressive symptoms and life satisfaction in the Australian respondents, with a smaller significant inverse relationship observed among the Nepalese respondents. The findings suggest that the experience of depressive symptoms may be partially independent of life satisfaction for this Nepalese sample.