[Quality analysis of life events and their relationship to depressive symptoms in a school age population].
BACKGROUND
Few Hungarian studies have been published about the relationship between individual life events and childhood and adolescent onset depression. In the present study we examined the significance of life events that might be risk factors of childhood depressive symptoms.


METHODS
We collected data in 9 elementary schools in two regions of Hungary. 2,652 pupils were examined. Life events were collected from the parents through a self-report questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were measured by the shortened version of the Child Depression Inventory (CDI).


RESULTS
Of the 20 life events that were examined, the following showed a significant relationship with the average depressive-symptom scores: illness of family members--especially that of a sibling, divorce, frequent quarrel among family members, teasing, financial problems and moving apartments. In boys, serious illness of the father, frequent quarrel among family members and teasing; in girls, divorce of parents, frequent quarrel among family members, psychiatric illness of a sibling, financial problems, moving apartments and teasing increased the risk of depression.


CONCLUSIONS
The experience of a number of life events can significantly increase the risk of childhood and adolescent depression.
Mayer
László
L
Szegedi Tudományegyetem, Gyermek- és Ifjúságpszichiátriai Onálló Osztály, Szeged, Hungary. laszlomayer@freemail.hu
Kiss
Eniko
E
Baji
Ildikó
I
Skultéti
Dóra
D
Vetró
Agnes
A
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse; D003643:Death; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D004243:Divorce; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D007182:Income; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D010379:Peer Group; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012574:Schools; D012737:Sex Factors; D035781:Siblings; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology