title: Does Family Structure Play a Role in Depression in Adolescents Admitted to Psychiatric Inpatient Care?
abstract: We examined whether adolescents' family structure associate with depression in a clinical sample of 508 adolescents (age 13-17 years) treated in psychiatric hospital between April 2001 and March 2006. Psychiatric disorders of adolescents were based on the K-SADS-PL-interview. Adolescents with depression were characterized by a single parent family background (58 %), but less commonly by a child welfare placement (37 %). Depression in adolescents was significantly related to female gender and a single parent family background, but less significantly related to comorbid psychotic or conducts disorders. The association between family structure and depression presents a challenge to mental health services. Early screening for depression in adolescents admitted for psychiatric treatment from "at risk" family types is important to enhance their future wellbeing and coping strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, PO Box 26, 90029 OYS, Oulu, Finland. matti.laukkanen@ppshp.fi.|Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. matti.laukkanen@ppshp.fi.
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laukkanen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, PO Box 26, 90029 OYS, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Helinä
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hakko
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, PO Box 26, 90029 OYS, Oulu, Finland.|Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Pirkko
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Riipinen
authors.affiliation: Department of Adolescent Psychiatry, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Kaisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Riala
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D011599:Psychopathology; D012737:Sex Factors; D020954:Single-Parent Family / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Adolescent; Blended family; Depression; Mental disorders; Nuclear family; Single parent family