Abstract
Background
Recent reviews indicate that mental health problems in the young are increasing.
Aims
To measure the prevalence of, and risk factors associated with, depression and low self-esteem among Irish post-primary students.
Method
1,428 students, randomly selected from a sample of post-primary schools, were given an anonymised questionnaire. Analyses included bivariate and multivariate logistic regression.
Results
Questionnaires were completed by 992 (69.9%) respondents. 206 (20.8%) had a high depression score. Being from a single parent family (OR 2.8, 95% Cl 1.5–5.4, p<0.001); having low self esteem (OR 13.44 95% Cl 8.9–20.3, p<0.001); being female (OR, 3.7, 95% Cl 2.5–5.6 p<0.001) and having a low fitness level (OR 1.8, 95% Cl 1.2–2.8 p<0.006) were independently associated with a high depression score.
Conclusions
The level of self-reported depression was high among these respondents and risk factors identified include having low self-esteem, being female, being from a single parent family and having a low fitness level.
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O’Farrell, A., Flanagan, E., Bedford, D. et al. Factors associated with self-reported depression and self-esteem among school-going adolescents from a geographically defined region in Ireland. Ir J Med Sci 174, 17–22 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03168976
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03168976