Depressive symptoms among reservation-based pregnant American Indian adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
To examine rates and correlates of depressive symptoms among pregnant reservation-based American Indian (AI) adolescents from the Southwestern United States (N = 53).


METHODS
Data were derived from a study evaluating a home-visiting program designed to promote positive parenting among young families. Participants included a volunteer, convenience sample of expectant mothers who completed behavioral and mental health self-report questionnaires. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale (CES-D). Three risk domains were analyzed in relation to depressive symptoms: sociodemographics, family relations, and psychosocial functioning.


RESULTS
Forty-seven percent of expectant mothers scored at or above the widely accepted clinical cutoff score of 16 on the CES-D; 30% scored at or above 20, a score more likely to reflect elevated depressive symptoms among adolescents; and almost 20% scored at or above 28 (one standard deviation above the mean), a score suggestive of clinical depression. Higher levels of depressive symptoms were associated with less use of public assistance, external locus of control, less social support, and lower self-esteem.


CONCLUSIONS
Data suggest that a large proportion of pregnant AI adolescents reported elevated depressive symptoms, though rates are similar to non-pregnant AI adolescent samples.
Ginsburg
Golda S
GS
Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University, 600 N. Wolfe Street/CMSC 340, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. gginsbu@jhmi.edu
Baker
Elena Varipatis
EV
Mullany
Britta C
BC
Barlow
Allison
A
Goklish
Novalene
N
Hastings
Ranelda
R
Thurm
Audrey E
AE
Speakman
Kristen
K
Reid
Raymond
R
Walkup
John
J
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011594:Psychometrics; D012944:Social Support; D015206:Southwestern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult