Aggression and family size

Predictors of depression among school adolescents in Northwest, Ethiopia, 2022: institutional based cross-sectional

BACKGROUND

Adolescent depression is a serious mental disorder that makes family problems, learning challenges, drug addiction, and increases absenteeism from school. It also has a major impact on a person's ability to manage his or her daily tasks. In the end, the condition may result in self-destruction. Research is scarce among high schools in the study setting. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and its associated factors of depression among high school adolescent students in Bahirdar City, Northwest Ethiopia in 2022.

METHODS

An institutional-based cross-sectional study was done from June 18 to July 16, 2022, among public and private high school adolescent students in Bahir Dar City, Amhara region, Ethiopia. A two-stage sampling technique was utilized. First, stratification by school type was made and schools were selected 30-40% by using a simple random sampling technique. Finally, an updated sampling frame was taken from each school director to select a sample of 584 study participants after proportional allocation by simple random sampling from six high schools. Patient Health Questionnaires were used to assess depression in high school students. The independent variables, like substance-related factors, were assessed by yes-or-no questions, and the academic stressor by academic stress in secondary education, was assessed by structured questionnaires. Binary and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify factors associated with depression. Statistical significance was declared at a 95% confidence interval when the value of p was less than or equal to 0.05.

RESULTS

The response rate of the participants was 96.9%. The overall magnitude of adolescent depression was found to be 22.1% (95%CI 18.7, 25.7%). Being female (AOR: 3.43; 95%CI 2.11, 5.56), small family size (AOR: 3.01; 95%CI 1.47, 6.15); ever alcohol use (AOR: 2.40; 95%CI 1.51, 3.81); attending a public school (AOR: 3.01; 95%CI 1.68, 5.40), and having a history of abuse (AOR: 1.92; 95%CI 2.2, 3.08) were associated with depression.

CONCLUSION

In this study, the magnitude of depression among high school students in Bahir Dar City was higher than the national threshold. There was a significant association between sex, family size of parents, ever alcohol use, public schools, and having a history of abuse with depression among adolescents. Hence, it is better for schools to screen and provide intervention for depression in public high school students and offer therapies, especially in females and those with a history of abuse, small family size, or alcohol use.

Family size effects: a review

Larger families are more frequent with early marriage and rapid birth of the first child. In larger families, child rearing becomes more rule ridden, less individualized, with corporal punishment and less investment of resources. Smaller families tend to result in higher IQ, academic achievement, and occupational performance. Large families produce more delinquents and alcoholics. Perinatal morbidity and mortality rates are higher in large families as birth weights decrease. Mothers of large families are at higher risk of several physical diseases. Common methodological errors are indicated and exemplary studies are described.