E-DARS - Estudo da depressão em adolescentes e redes sociais

E-DARS - Study of depression in adolescents and social networking

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms in adolescents, characterize their use of social networking
and verify the association between that use and depressive symptoms. Methods: Analytic, cross-sectional study, based
on the application of questionnaires, on a sample of ninth grade adolescents. The presence of depressive symptoms were
accessed according to the CES-D Scale (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale). Statistical tests: X2 and Kruskal
Wallis (l.s. = 0.05). Software: PASW 18.0®. Results: Sample of 579 students (50,6% male), aged between 13 and 18 years,
average 14,8 years old. Among the inquired, 94,6% were social networking users and the majority without usage rules.
About one third (27,8%) presented depressive symptoms, most in the female group. Conclusion: There was a higher
prevalence of adolescents presenting depressive symptoms, compared to the literature (27.8% vs. 11%) and the higher
rate in girls is consistent with other studies. Although there has not been found an association with the use of social
networking, 94.6% of the adolescents mentioned using them, the majority without parental control, which should alert he
family physician and the pediatrician to the crucial importance of dealing this subject with the adolescents during medical
consultations. In the future, it would be interesting to evaluate clinically the adolescents who present depressive symptoms
and to understand the quality of their real social interactions, comparing to the ones established by social networking.