Lifei Wang1, Zhengzhi Feng2, Guoyu Yang1, Yaling Yang3, Qin Dai4, Chaobing Hu5, Keyu Liu6, Yu Guang6, Rui Zhang6, Fan Xia6, Mengxue Zhao1. 1. Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology of Armyman, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China. 2. School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China. Electronic address: FZZ@tmmu.edu.cn. 3. Chongqing Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, Chongqing 400020, China. 4. Department of Nursing Psychology, School of Nursing, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China. 5. Key Applied Psychology Lab, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China. 6. School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence rate of depressive symptoms in left-behind participants aged 7-17 years and to explore the associated socio-demographic and communication factors. METHODS: Participants were 4857 left-behind children and adolescents in Chongqing. They were screened for depressive symptoms using a 27-item Children׳s Depression Inventory (CDI) and social-demographic variables were evaluated with a structured scale. Uncorrected Pearson chi-square test and logistic regression were applied to analyzing the data. RESULTS: The total prevalence rate of depressive symptoms was 24.8%. Significant difference was found in the prevalence rate of depressive symptoms among groups of different income, grade, age, left-behind subtypes, and different frequency, ways and topics of parent-child communication. We found that the risk factors for depression were absence of parents, low frequency of parent-child communication, and communication by letter or about sensitive topics. The grade group 2-3 and age group 16-17 were at a higher risk of depression than all other grade and age subgroups. The protective factors for depression were high-income, high frequency of parent-child communication, communication by telephone or about such topic as learning experience, school life, and feelings. LIMITATIONS: Self-report bias and cross-sectional nature of the sampling are major limitations of this study. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence rate of depressive symptoms among left-behind children and adolescents in Chongqing is much higher than previously reported prevalence in other regions of China. The risk and protective factors for depression among left-behind children and adolescents are worthy of public attention.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence rate of depressive symptoms in left-behind participants aged 7-17 years and to explore the associated socio-demographic and communication factors. METHODS:Participants were 4857 left-behind children and adolescents in Chongqing. They were screened for depressive symptoms using a 27-item Children׳s Depression Inventory (CDI) and social-demographic variables were evaluated with a structured scale. Uncorrected Pearson chi-square test and logistic regression were applied to analyzing the data. RESULTS: The total prevalence rate of depressive symptoms was 24.8%. Significant difference was found in the prevalence rate of depressive symptoms among groups of different income, grade, age, left-behind subtypes, and different frequency, ways and topics of parent-child communication. We found that the risk factors for depression were absence of parents, low frequency of parent-child communication, and communication by letter or about sensitive topics. The grade group 2-3 and age group 16-17 were at a higher risk of depression than all other grade and age subgroups. The protective factors for depression were high-income, high frequency of parent-child communication, communication by telephone or about such topic as learning experience, school life, and feelings. LIMITATIONS: Self-report bias and cross-sectional nature of the sampling are major limitations of this study. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence rate of depressive symptoms among left-behind children and adolescents in Chongqing is much higher than previously reported prevalence in other regions of China. The risk and protective factors for depression among left-behind children and adolescents are worthy of public attention.