Association of Friends and Family Support with Depression in Adolescents

Undergraduates: Sofia Ocegueda, Marni Krehnbrink, Beatriz Vega, Emilie Kahdem

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Tamera Coyne-Beasley
Department: Psychology & Neuroscience

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Background: In 2015, 13% of U.S. teens aged 12-17 had at least one depressive episode. Low social support can be associated with depression. Objective: To determine if social support is associated with adolescent depression. Design/Methods: Data were from patients, ages 11-21 at a clinic from 2012-2016. Demographics were abstracted through electronic medical records; a GAPS survey was used to collect data on risky behaviors. PHQ9 was used to screen for depression; a score of ¿¿¿11 indicated a positive screen. Chi-square analyses assessed associations of depression, demographics and social support. Results:839 males(48.8%) and females(51.2%) participated. Participants were diverse(18.4% white; 42.0% black; 31.0% Hispanic, 8.34% other); the mean age was 14 years. 11% screened positive for depression. Those with a positive depression screen were more likely to report not having someone to talk to about their problems(p<0.001) and were more likely to report problems at home (p<0.001). Depression was significantly associated with being female(p<0.041) and Hispanic(p<0.045). Hispanics were also less likely to have someone to talk about their problems(p<0.001) and more worried about problems at home(p<0.001). Conclusions: Some demographics and levels of social support may have associations with depression. Females and Hispanics had greater associations with depression when compared to their counterparts. Asking about adolescents¿¿¿ social support may be useful to assess depression risk.