Factors Associated with Depressive Symptoms in Nigerian Adolescents

PurposeTo evaluate the factors associated with depressive symptoms in a sample of Nigerian 13–18-year-olds attending senior secondary schools.MethodAdolescents aged 13 to 18 years (n = 1095) attending senior secondary schools completed the Beck Depressive Inventory (BDI) as a measure of their depressive symptoms. The adolescents and their parents also completed various questionnaires regarding related demographic, psychosocial and family factors.ResultsThere were 99 (9.0%) adolescents with clinically significant depressive symptoms. The factors significantly associated with adolescents’ depressive symptoms include parental depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR] 5.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.48–7.81), adolescents’ perception of family functioning as poor (OR 6.79, 95% CI 3.46–12.23), adolescents’ problems with peers (OR 4.69, 95% CI 3.06–7.19), adolescents’ low self-esteem (OR 6.63, 95% CI 2.59–16.96), adolescents’ drinking (OR 3.98, 95% CI 2.37–6.69), female gender (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.11–2.72), and large family size (OR 2.83, 95% CI 1.15–7.74).ConclusionsChild and adolescent health policy-makers should consider these factors when planning healthcare services or formulating a predictive model for adolescents’ depression in low-income countries. Clinical assessment should focus on identification of these variables and nonpharmacological interventions may be of relevance in addressing some of the associated factors.