Depressive symptoms in adolescence. Predictive factors and gender differences
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Abstract
The aim of the present study was to explore some risk factors of depressive symptoms in adolescence, taking into account gender differences. More specifically, loneliness towards parents and friends, parental emotional availability, peer attachment and depressive symptoms were analyzed in a sample of 395 adolescents. Findings showed that loneliness towards parents and friends were significant predictors of depression in both males and females. Low paternal emotional availability and low levels of attachment to peers were further risk factors only among adolescent girls. Overall, these results highlighted the importance to early detect withdrawal signals among adolescents, in order to prevent the development of depression.
Keywords
- Loneliness
- depression
- parental emotional availability
- peer attachment
- gender difference
- adolescence
