Document Type
Poster Presentation
Start Date
20-4-2018 10:00 AM
End Date
20-4-2018 11:00 AM
Keywords
adolescents, depression, identity
Biography
I am a senior pursuing my bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in English. My primary research interests lie in identity development, especially in the stages of adolescence and young adulthood.
Major
Psychology
Advisor for this project
Penny Koontz
Abstract
This literature review aimed to investigate the potential relationship between conflicts in identity development and the onset of depression in adolescence. Much of the research on the matter of depression in adolescents is consistent in identifying the many factors that may contribute to the onset of depressive symptoms. These factors include the individual’s sex, tendency to ruminate or co-ruminate during a depressive episode, the awareness of the individual’s social network in regard to the individual’s depression, cultural and ethnic differences, and parental behaviors. The literature review also revealed a variety of environmental factors which may contribute to depression and which, if controlled, could help relieve symptoms the adolescents experience. The involvement of parents, friends, and schools could help significantly reduce depressive symptoms, as evidenced by research pointing to the impact of parental behaviors, co-rumination with friends, and early depressive symptoms on later development of depression. When mental health professionals formulate a comprehensive plan that involves parents and other social resources, such as the school environment, and also educates parents about depressive symptoms and how to manage them, we can expect that depression in adolescents can be ameliorated early on, reducing the risk of full onset of depression in later adolescence and young adulthood. Future research should more closely look at the relationship between identity confusion and depressive symptoms, as there is limited research on this connection.
Impact of identity conflict on onset of depressive symptoms in adolescents: A review
This literature review aimed to investigate the potential relationship between conflicts in identity development and the onset of depression in adolescence. Much of the research on the matter of depression in adolescents is consistent in identifying the many factors that may contribute to the onset of depressive symptoms. These factors include the individual’s sex, tendency to ruminate or co-ruminate during a depressive episode, the awareness of the individual’s social network in regard to the individual’s depression, cultural and ethnic differences, and parental behaviors. The literature review also revealed a variety of environmental factors which may contribute to depression and which, if controlled, could help relieve symptoms the adolescents experience. The involvement of parents, friends, and schools could help significantly reduce depressive symptoms, as evidenced by research pointing to the impact of parental behaviors, co-rumination with friends, and early depressive symptoms on later development of depression. When mental health professionals formulate a comprehensive plan that involves parents and other social resources, such as the school environment, and also educates parents about depressive symptoms and how to manage them, we can expect that depression in adolescents can be ameliorated early on, reducing the risk of full onset of depression in later adolescence and young adulthood. Future research should more closely look at the relationship between identity confusion and depressive symptoms, as there is limited research on this connection.
