Prevalence and Correlates of Depression Among School-Going Adolescents in the Urban Schools of Central India: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Adolescence is defined as the phase of development that occurs between childhood and adulthood. Presently in India, 243 million populations are staring at the crossroads of transition from childhood to adulthood. Physical, emotional, and social issues unique to this age group make them vulnerable to various mental problems. So, we conducted this study to quantify the current burden of depression in adolescents and its possible causes. Materials and methods: The present community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the middle and late adolescent participants aged 14-19 years from 52 sections (clusters) of 9th to 12thclasses comprising a total of 1412 students with a multistage cluster sampling method. In total four sections (clusters), and one participant of class 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th were chosen from 13 preselected schools. The questionnaire consisted of socio-demographic details, screen time, physical activity, etc., and the DASS-42 scale was used to determine the prevalence of depression. Results: We found that the prevalence of depression in our study participants was around 39%. It was classified as 16.9%, 16.7%, 5.1%, and 0.5% participants respectively having mild, moderate, severe, and extremely severe depression. Mother’s education was a statistically significant determinant for depression among these adolescents. Conclusion: The study concludes that the prevalence of depression (including mild, moderate, severe, or very severe) among school-going adolescents is 39%. We hereby recommend that a holistic approach should be followed involving parents and teachers with the help of school counselors to tackle and curb this problem.