Depressive Symptoms among Junior High School Students in Southern China: Prevalence, Changes, and Psychosocial Correlates

Xinli Chi; Xiaofeng Liu; Qiaomin Huang; Liuyue Huang; Peichao Zhang; Xiaochen Chen

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.034

Depressive Symptoms among Junior High School Students in Southern China: Prevalence, Changes, and Psychosocial Correlates

J Affect Disord. 2020 Sep 1:274:1191-1200. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.034. Epub 2020 May 23.

Authors

Xinli Chi¹, Xiaofeng Liu², Qiaomin Huang³, Liuyue Huang², Peichao Zhang⁴, Xiaochen Chen⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Postal address: No.3688, Nanhai Rd., Shenzhen, Guangdong, P.R. China, 518060; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P.R. China; Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, P.R. China, 100872; The Laboratory of the Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, P.R. China, 100872.
² School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Postal address: No.3688, Nanhai Rd., Shenzhen, Guangdong, P.R. China, 518060; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P.R. China.
³ Law School of Shenzhen University, Postal address: No.3688, Nanhai Rd., Shenzhen, Guangdong, P.R. China, 518060.
⁴ Research Center of Modern Psychology, Department of Philosophy, Wuhan University, P.R. China.
⁵ Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, P.R. China, 100872; The Laboratory of the Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, P.R. China, 100872. Electronic address: xiaochenchen@ruc.edu.cn.

PMID: 32663950
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.034

Abstract

Background: Depression is one of the most common mental health problems in adolescents. A careful assessment of the prevalence and risk of depressive symptoms, as well as those factors that protect against it, is essential for prevention and intervention programs.

Method: Using two waves of data from Grade 7 to Grade 9 (N = 1,544 students in Wave 1), this study examined the prevalence and changes of depressive symptoms and their related psychosocial correlates (personal and familial factors, including family functioning and positive youth development [PYD] constructs) among junior high school students in Southern China.

Results: The results showed that while depressive symptoms generally declined throughout the secondary junior school years, symptoms of major depression remained stable. Concurrently, academic achievement, family functioning, and PYD constructs regarding cognitive behavioral competence (CBC), positive identity (PIT), and general PYD qualities (GPYDQ) negatively predicted depressive symptoms in Wave 1. Longitudinally, being female, having poor academic achievement and family functioning, and having a low PIT in Wave 1 significantly predicted depressive symptoms in Wave 2.

Limitations: This study used the self-reporting approach, did not track a long-term developmental trajectories of adolescent depressive symptoms, and did not cover all potential predictors.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that being female and having poor academic achievement are risk factors, while positive family functioning and PYD constructs protect against the development of adolescent depression.

Keywords: Chinese adolescents; Depressive symptoms; Junior high school students; Positive youth development; Prevalence.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
China / epidemiology
Depression* / epidemiology
Female
Humans
Prevalence
Schools
Students*
Surveys and Questionnaires