A Study on Depression in Children as Related to Family Structure, Socio-Economic Status and Residential Background in Bangladesh

Abstract

The present study was an attempt to understand depressive affect in children in relation to family structure, residence, socio-economic status and gender in the context of Bangladesh. The phenomenon or depression has been conceptualized with reference to the theories developed in this area. The theories are (l) Seligman’s Learned Helplessness Theory of Depression; (2) Levisohn’s Defective Social Skills Model; (3) Hokinson’s Theory of Depression as a Developmental Process; (4) 11rown's Social Class Vulnerability Theory or Depression; (5) Beck's Cognitive Theory of Depression; (6) Reh111's Self-Control Model or Depression. The main objective or the study was to reflect on depression in children associated with nuclear and joint family structure, urban and rural residential background, high, middle and low socio-economic status and boys and girls in the social context of Bangladesh. The rationale of the study was based on the arguments that the consequences of poverty and illiteracy in Bangladesh lead the children at the risk or socio-emotional problems, deviant behaviour and reduced aspirations and expectations, thus some psychopathological symptoms like withdrawal from friends, loneliness and low self-esteem would lead the children for the development of depressive affects. Three specific hypotheses were framed in this study. These were (I) Children from nuclear family would display more depressive affect in comparison to the children from joint family; (2) Children from urban CDRS was supposed to have both content validity and lace validity. Criterion oriented validity was also computed with the deviant and normal samples and the mean difference was statistically significant at 0.01 level (t=J.90). This significant difference indicated the criterion validity or CDRS. The cross validation or CDRS was also computed by comparing it with the scores or Bengali adaptation or Children's Depression Rating Scale. The correlation coefficient was statistically significant (r= 0.63). Thus the cross validation was achieved indicating the validity or the CDRS. The results of the study were computed using Analysis or Variance (ANOVA). The analyses were computed in three parts. In the first part, a 2x2x3 ANOVA representing two levels or family structure (Nuclear/Joint), two levels or residential background ( Urban/Rural) and three levels or socio-economic status (High/Middle/Low) was computed. In the second part, the data obtained from the respondents or nuclear family were subjected to 2x2x3 ANOVA representing two levels of gender (Boy/Girl), two levels of residential background . . (Urban/Rural) and three levels or socio-economic status (High/Middle/Low). In the third part, the data obtained from the respondents of joint family were subjected to 2x2xANOVA representing two levels of gender (Boy/Girl ), two levels or residential background (Urban/Rural) and three levels of socio-economic status ( High/Middle/Low). The findings of the study reported significant differences on family structure, residential background and socio-economic status. Thus the children who came from nuclear family expressed more depression in comparison to the children who came from joint family. Again, children of urban residence expressed more depression HS compared to the children of rural residence. Also, the children with middle socio-economic status expressed more depression as compared to the children with high and low socio-economic status. These findings provide empirical support and confirmation to the predictions formulated for this study. Besides, a few relevant findings reveal some distinctive features about depression associated with some relevant variables. Thus residential background c.md socio-economic status or the children moderated depression associated with nuclear and joint family in a variety of ways. Lastly, gender differences in terms of boys and girls were differentially related with nuclear and joint family. In conclusion it can be said that the arrays or findings reflect on divergent correlates of depression in children in the socio-cultural context or Bangladesh. It suggests that depressive symptoms may vary as a function of family structure, residential background, socio­economic status, age and sex. These differences obtained in the study are probably not of sufficient magnitude to warrant the use of Children's Depression Rating Scale and as such the use or separate norms and grades has been suggested to explore the phenomenon of depression from diverse angles.