Depressive symptoms among Hong Kong adolescents: relation to atypical sexual feelings and behaviors, gender dissatisfaction, pubertal timing, and family and peer relationships.
A representative community sample of Hong Kong boys (n = 1,024) and girls (n = 1,403), age 14-18 years, provided information regarding same-sex attraction, gender dissatisfaction, pubertal timing, early experience with sexual intercourse, and depressive symptoms. They also rated the quality of their family and peer relationships and self-perceived attractiveness. Depressive symptoms were higher in youths reporting same-sex attraction, gender dissatisfaction, early pubertal maturation, and early sexual intercourse. Family relationships were less satisfactory for those who reported same-sex attraction, gender dissatisfaction, and early sexual intercourse, and peer relationships were also worse for those who reported gender dissatisfaction. In multivariate analyses, same-sex attraction, early sexual intercourse, and early pubertal maturation were unique and direct contributors to depressive symptoms; however, gender dissatisfaction's association with depressive symptoms was largely accounted for by shared correlations with negative family and peer relationships. The multivariate model explained 11% of the variance of depressive symptoms. These findings offer a preliminary documentation of the prevalence and correlates of atypical sexual self-assessments and behavior among adolescents in Hong Kong. Such information is important if theories of sexual identity and risk factors for depressive symptoms are to have cross-cultural utility.
Lam
T H
TH
Department of Community Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China. commed@hkucc.hku.hk
Stewart
Sunita M
SM
Leung
Gabriel M
GM
Lee
Peter W H
PW
Wong
Joy P S
JP
Ho
L M
LM
Youth Sexuality Task Force
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003075:Coitus / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D015438:Health Behavior; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010379:Peer Group; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D011627:Puberty / Q000523:psychology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires